The reviews of the new musical “The Addams Family” are out, and ouch! Mine is downright kind compared to some others. I will talk about the show later today on WNYC’s “Soundcheck,” starting at 2pm. You can tune in to 93.9 FM if you’re in the NY area, or listen online at www.wnyc.org.
There are a lot of problems in the musical, including Andrew Lippa’s characterless score, but for some reason I got really stuck on Wednesday. The way she’s treated examplifies how everything went south. Because the plot revolves around her being in love, they made her 18 (but somehow kept Pugsley the same age). They also cut off her signature braids (even though the rest of the cast looks exactly like the cartoons) and sanded off anything that gave her a distinct personality, turning her into a generic plucky teen. She may use a crossbow, but it feels like a mere accessory, not something that truly indicates a twisted nature. I’m not asking for a retread of Christina Ricci’s interpretation of the character in the movies, but Wednesday should have more backbone than what we get on stage. It was possible to age the character and preserve her essential bleak outlook. Plus she gets a love interest of sorts in the second movie, “Addams Family Values,” and they made it work without sweetening her.Â