ADDAMS FAMILY problem

I have one big issue with this show (along with several others). It seems many people here are charmed by the one-liners, but allow me to state my case: the aura and appeal of the Addams Family as characters is that they are removed from our world. They live in an old Gothic mansion, dress and act in bizarre, abnormal ways, and scare the hell out of everyone on the outside. They're creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky, etc. as the theme song goes.

So... (MILD SPOILERS)... how does it make any sense for Grandma to tell Pugsley to "stop the texting" and later refer to herself as a "cougar"? When Gomez refers to Ohio as a "swing state" and Morticia claims that something everybody needs but few have is "health care!" The authors are clearly including these references as faux-clever up-with-people gags that may make audiences chortle but completely debase these characters.

Part of what makes the Addamses compelling is that they respond to things in a 180-degree reverse from other people. What's strange to us is conventional to them. How are they so technologically/socially/politically in tune with our world? Would Grandma know what a cougar is? Would Pugsley have a cell phone?

I don't think it's reading too much into it to say that these lame attempts at humor took me completely out of the show. It's demeaning to the audience to assume they can't take a straight musical comedy without a few cheap jabs at the latest fashions. I also felt the same way about the score. Wednesday's "Pulled" is a pat "I want" number that screams Broadway; it feels like an Elle Woods knockoff. Likewise, "Let's Not Talk About Anything Else But Love" has a DROWSY CHAPERONE-like bounce that is completely inappropriate for Uncle Fester, a very off-kilter and eccentric dude.

I just wish this show had more edge, more natural energy. Whatever charisma is displayed comes from the actors' natural personas, not the roles they play. Their talent is certainly onstage, but the material is thin.

I think Grandma referring to herself as a "couger" is totally in line with her character. She's a sassy one.

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It's not a problem.

They do what they wanna do, say what they wanna say
Live how they wanna live, play how they wanna play
Dance how they wanna dance, kick and they slap a friend
The Addams family

Phyllis, if only that song were in the show!

To discuss this subject by citing "what they did on the TV show" or "In the movie..." is irrelevant. This is the MUSICAL as based on the CARTOONS.
The Cartoon Addams talked on the phone, they watched TV, they commented on current events. I don't know why the Broadway Musical Addamses wouldn't.

Good point, Kad, but when Porter poked fun at contemporary society he did so with wit and class. I highly doubt horny grandma jokes would have been his cup of tea.

> To discuss this subject by citing "what they did on the TV show" or "In the movie..." is irrelevant.

It is valid (insightful, even) to draw this conversation all the way back to the cartoons. It is excessive to dismiss the movie and TV series as "irrelevant".

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Cole Porter made jokes about "grandmama (who's age is 80) indulging in nudist parties". IF that's not a horny Grandmother joke, I don't know what is.

ANd sorry- Grandmama was getting mate-y with gigolos. It was the set that's smart indulging in nudist parties.

Interestingly enough, Nathan Lane has adopted Raul Julia's pan-European accent, a feature he is only attributed in the movies. This is unusual since they claimed to be only based on the comics.

It's a wise decision though- Gomez never seemed complete without that untraceable accent.

I would think the outrage would be that it's pretty much You Can't Take it With You.

The Cole Porter "Class" thing cracked me up, Cole Porter was one dirty mofo, have you ever heard some of the original lines for his classic songs? they are super dirty, and even the stuff that's still there is pretty raunchy for the time.

Addams Family is hilarious and as they have said it's NOT based on the tv show, or movie, and to be honest it's theatre-you take liberties to make it more enjoyable to the audience. And it is VERY enjoyable.


ALSO, about Wednesday's song and Uncle Fester's. The composer (Lippa) is OBVIOUSLY giving each character a style of music that suites their personality. Wednesday's is a pop/rock style that fits her age and personality. There is some edge to it, but she's a young woman in love so it has that pop sound that fits her perfectly. Uncle Fester is like an old vaudeville performer, hence his songs are in the style of vaudeville.

Would you want to see a show where all the songs were in minor and downers because that's how some people think of the Addams?

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I love when people are not only incorrect, but absolutely totally off-base. Porter was infamous for being "in the moment" commenting not only on the latest news but gossip and scandals. Here is an entry from Wikipedia:

""Anything Goes" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for his musical Anything Goes (1934). Some of the Depression-era lyrics have become quite dated. For example, one couplet refers to Sam Goldwyn's notorious box-office failure Nana, which featured a star, Anna Sten, whose English was incomprehensible except to Goldwyn, who came from the same part of Europe. Another couplet refers to then-notorious socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean. Most modern versions omit these lyrics""

If Addams Family is lucky enough to be performed in 30 years, they will simply omit the topical references that no longer resonate, like they do with Cole Porter songs.