The Addams Family, A New Musical

The performance starts with an overly long light play as if they've realised they need to give students some experience in managing the lights. Overly long is a good descriptor for the show; it's two and a half hours. I'm surprised that they didn't trim the script. There are unnecessary scenes and an entirely unnecessary chorus, though they do provide an interesting array of costumes and death makeup.

On to my last complaint then I'll tell you how much I loved it. This is a pre-existing script with a giant, glaring problem; the Wednesday Addams I know and love would never compromise herself for some boy. The boy in question isn't anything special, neither is the father but who could stand up next to the other amazing characters on stage?

Some consideration was given to looks but I couldn't understand why Wednesday didn't have black hair. Morticia didn't have quite the right look but her attitude was everything, making me realise that perhaps I no longer wish to be Wednesday Addams, I'd rather be the mother. She and Gomez were very strong actors, carrying everyone else along with them though they only lagged a step behind.

Everyone sung and everyone had amazing voices, some hitting notes I'm sure would crack but it was only when you barely noticed that there were a couple of wobbles. The songs were great too, I made a mental note to look up a cast recording as there's sure to be one somewhere.

It made me a little philosophical. In these days it is almost a comfort that "death is just around the corner."


Performances: 7-15 September (times vary)
Tickets: $30

Modern Girls in Bed

This is the second time I've seen a play with Georgina Beyer and she's been mentioned. I'd like to say that we attended together, that we're friends, but we just happened to have attended two performances at Circa at the same time. It was amazing watching this play about famous, legendary, New Zealand women when there was one in the theatre with us. And then she was acknowledged, not that they knew she was there. It was a beautiful moment.

The two parts of the play felt like they were talking to different people. The first half was for those in their 20's and 30's, though they were sparse in the audience [tell them to go see it!], the second half was for those in their 40's and older. Perhaps being staged at Circa this may miss the younger audience, which is a huge shame because it talks to them -there are references that frankly most people didn't get, because of this, often I was the only one laughing.

If it could be called a complaint or a criticism, that's my only one.

The script was perfect, the casting, the costumes, the scenery, everything. It was funny, it was emotional, it was political (without being preachy). It was about family and sisters and mothers and friends and women and our place in the world. It was very, very topical. Although the script was developed in 2016 and 2017 they'd added to make it more relevant. The conversations could be going on in any home right now.

Actually, you should go see it.

Performances: 1-22 September, various times

Tickets: $52