THIS week Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society Youth Section (WODYS) bring their latest high-action, must-see musical The Addams Family to the Swan Theatre stage, bursting with musical talent.

The singing and dancing, built on their award-winning performances, are as usual superb.

In the kooky, upside-down world of the Addams Family, they have lived by their unique values for hundreds of years and Gomez and Morticia, the patriarch and matriarch of the clan, would be only too happy to continue living that way.

Charlie Raven as Gomez provided an instant impact in both characterisation and accent — outstanding, matched by the dark, poised and sultry Morticia played with great panache by Caitlin Clements.

Their scenes together were a delight and their relationship, based on mutual trust and having no secrets, created a scenario that Gomez struggled with when trying to appease his daughter.

Gomez’s beloved daughter Wednesday is now 18 and ready for a life of her own.

Wednesday was played by Olivia Lee who had an instant connection with the character and totally convinced as dark, macabre, almost always possessed but also very funny.

She has fallen in love with Lucas Beineke, very well played by Ellis Harding, a sweet, smart boy from a normal, respectable Ohio family — the most un-Addams sounding person one could be!

I’ve mentioned four of the leading characters but WODYS was blessed with a total of 10 principal characters.

All were exceedingly well played.

Uncle Fester, played by Alfie Thompson, brought humour and a great characterisation to the role.

Lurch, played by Joshua Silvester with suitably piercing eyes, merely grunted in communication throughout until we discovered a very pleasing voice towards the end.

Pugsley Addams was played by Ralph Francis. Great natural acting, he sang and spoke well and I liked his scene with his cheeky Grandma, also played expressively by Rebecca Stephens.

They completed a great collection of perfect and weird characters in the Addams Family!

To make matters worse, Wednesday has invited the Beinekes to their home for dinner.

Lucas’ mum Alice and dad Mal, Maya Sumera and Carter Chilton, provided impressive and natural ‘opposites’ to the Addams family.

Despite Wednesday’s plea for a normal night, ‘The Game’, an Addams’ tradition, had to be played and Alice’s resulting transformation, plus her great voice, was impressive.

In this fateful night, secrets are disclosed, relationships are tested and the Addams family must face up to the one horrible thing they’ve managed to avoid for generations — change.

The musical numbers are demanding on principals and the ensemble.

An impressive bunch of ancestors with amazing costumes and wigs all provided quality singing and dancing from their opening number When You’re an Addams through to an excellent Full Disclosure and the end of Act 1.

Other outstanding numbers included Pulled (in a new direction) sung by Lee, Secrets (Clements and Sumera) and Crazier Than You a great quartet sung by Lee, Harding, Chilton and Sumera.

A nice piece also by Tilly Francis en pointe as The Moon.

The comedy was equally shared but Fester was very amusing with The Moon and Me and I loved Gomez’s number Happy Sad with Wednesday — very sensitively sung.

Any dad with a daughter will relate to this one!

The overall staging, including the band and costumes, were first-class.

There’s a line that certainly rings true for this excellent production, another in the capable hands of David Humphries and his accomplished team.

“Tell your friends, word of mouth is so important”.

Those who have booked already to see this show will be telling their friends so grab a ticket while you can.

The show runs until Saturday, including a matinee, and people can book via 01905 611427.