Claremorris students bring spooktacular production of The Addams Family to South Mayo

“When you’re an Addams, you’ve got to have a sense of humour.”

That’s a line from this show, which also spells out the key to successfully staging it.  

It’s easy to take yourself too seriously with a show like the Addams family with its creepy, cooky and downright spooky cast.

The boys and girls of Mount St Michael and St Colman’s College in Claremorris had no such difficulty with their production of the hilarious show named after the freakiest fictional family of them all.

When half-zombified with baby powder white makeup and dark-eye shadow, it’s easy for any youngster to feel self-conscious and restrained on stage.

_{Leah Naughton as Morticia Addams surrounded by the Addams Family ancestors}

That is not the case with this show. These students loved every minute of it, and it showed.

The dialogue and gags were well-delivered and flowed like a comedic river throughout the entire production set to a bloody catchy soundtrack.

The leading man Ronan Murphy (Gomez) set the tone for the night the moment he introduced the audience to ‘the intoxicating smell of the graveyard’ where the Addams’ come once a year to visit their ancestors.

Murphy played the part with a cheeky smile on his face that really brought this great character to life.

In keeping with their characters, Leonie Hartman (Wednesday Addams), Jake Mullin (Pugsley Addams), Leah Naughton (Morticia Addams) and Noah O’Brien (Lurch), and Jessica Tierney (Grandma) hardly broke a smile all night but still brought plenty of colour and humour.

David Loughney’s Uncle Fester was a different kettle of fish altogether. Loughney fully embraced Fester’s bumbling, bald, moon-loving, clownishness with a performance that rightly endeared himself to the generous crowd in Claremorris Town Hall.

_{David Loughney (left) as Uncle Fester pictured during 'Full Disclosure'}

The ‘normal’ Beineke family, played by Adam McNamara (Mal), Nathan Gill (Lucas) and Mary Lilibeth (Alice), all gave fine performances that made the Addams’ look all the more ridiculous.

Visually, this show was excellent.

The Addams’ cold, cobweb-shrouded mansion looked superb under a well-chosen variety of white, orange, green, purple and red lights that enhanced every single scene.

The hands of musical director Finola Higgins were all over this show. Her experienced six-piece orchestra delivered the varied and eclectic soundtrack to perfection while each and every lyric and harmony landed with grace and precision.

Putting on a show is never simple, particularly one as side-splittingly whacky and absurd as this one.

The secondary school students of Claremorris embraced the absurdity, grabbed the fun with both hands and put on a show loved by the audience and cast in equal measure.

_{Pictured left to right are Nathan Gill (Lucas Beineke), Adam McNamara (Mal Beineke) and Mary Lilibeth (Alice Beineke)}

The words of the hauntingly beautiful show-closer ‘Move Toward The Darkness’ come to mind: “Lose your inhibitions, love what once was vile, move toward the darkness and smile.”

That's exactly how you make a success of The Addams Family and that’s exactly what Mount St Michael and St Colman’s have done.

A job very well done by all involved.

The final performance of Mount St Michael and St Colman’s College’s production of The Addams Family takes place this evening (May 3) in Claremorris Town Hall at 8pm.