Review: The Addams Family Musical Delivers Gothic Glamour, Humor, and Heart on Stage
April 29, 2026
By: Matty Haze
Image courtesy of Ateneo Blue Repertory Documentation Team
More Than a Show: Joining the Sea of Black
Entering the venue for The Addams Family, I was immediately enveloped in a dimly lit, atmospheric blue glow, the kind of electric hush you usually only find at the start of a major concert. The seating was expertly arranged, offering a well-elevated view that ensures you won't miss a single flick of Morticia’s wrist unless, of course, you’re unfortunate enough to sit behind someone whose hair is as tall as Lurch. The stage itself was a masterclass in mood- setting, presenting a sprawling, haunting depiction of the mansion’s interior where most of our story unfolds.
The audience was a delightful mix of adults, students, couples, and seasoned theater-goers, many of whom took the "dress code" to heart by wearing all black for the occasion. Despite the somber outfits, the vibe was anything but dead. The energy was cheery and infectious, with lively reactions that made it impossible not to join in the laughter. In this theater, the "social battery" stays fully charged; the play never fails to pull a reaction out of the crowd, turning the viewing experience into a collective celebration of the strange.
Image courtesy of Ateneo Blue Repertory Documentation Team
Weird is Timeless: A Century of Addams History
This production draws its lifeblood from the original Addams Family franchise, first penned by the legendary cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. What started as a series of satirical single- panel comics about an eccentric, old-money clan with a penchant for the macabre has evolved into a global phenomenon. The Addams were the ultimate subversion of the "perfect" American family; while most neighbors obsess over white picket fences and garden gnomes, this family prefers extreme, morbid alternatives for their own comedic amusement.
Over the decades, the lore has only grown. From the 1964 TV show that gifted us the world’s most famous finger-snapping theme song to the 1990s feature films that solidified the family as icons of the goth subculture, the Addams name has become synonymous with "cool weirdness." Today, with the massive success of the Netflix Wednesday adaptation, it’s clear that their aesthetic is timeless.
This 2026 iteration by Ateneo Blue Repetorty and helmed by Jillian Ita-as, with musical direction by Matthew Chang, follows the Broadway musical structure, focusing on the ghostly Ancestors. And while fan-favorites like Cousin Itt and Thing may be absent from this specific stage, the Ancestors do a magnificent job of filling the void, ensuring the mansion never feels empty.
Whimsical Secrets: The Night Everything Goes Wrong
The curtain rises on a chorus of Ancestors singing from the depths of a haunted-looking interior, followed closely by the living Addams clan. But every family has its drama, and the conflict here is a classic: Wednesday Addams has grown up. Our favorite princess of darkness has been asked for her hand in marriage by a "normal" young man she met, naturally, while bird hunting with a crossbow.
In a moment of uncharacteristic compromise, Wednesday agrees to host a dinner for both families to announce the engagement. What follows is a delicious chain reaction of whimsical fun, deep-seated secrets, and escalating chaos. The central question keeps the audience hooked: can Wednesday successfully pull off a "normal" dinner party without her family scaring the guests back to the suburbs?
Image courtesy of Ateneo Blue Repertory Documentation Team
Spooky Spectacle: A Set Design Straight Out of a Dream
Once the lights go down, you bear witness to a truly impressive feat of stagecraft. The set is a two-story Gothic mansion brimming with secrets and lit with a bluish charm reminiscent of a classic Tim Burton film. A grand, wide staircase anchors the left side of the stage, allowing the cast to move freely between levels, adding a great sense of verticality to the performances. The attention to detail is staggering. The furniture looks like genuine, cursed antiques salvaged from a very dangerous attic, the kind of pieces that should come with warning signs saying, "Touch not, lest misfortune befall ye!" Even the props refuse to stay static; moving tentacles occasionally remind us that the house is very much alive (or undead, to be exact). The torture devices feel like characters themselves, standing as silent, masochistic sentinels of the family’s unusual tastes. For anyone who grew up loving Halloween, the nostalgia here is potent, hitting you with the force of a well-placed tombstone.
Images courtesy of Ateneo Blue Repertory Documentation Team
Kooky, Spooky, and Full of Soul: Meet the Cast
The actors bringing this family to life are some of the most vibrant talents to ever grace the stage. As Gomez, Ron Balgos is a standout, portraying a lovable romantic who is hilariously conflicted. He balances his pride in his heritage with the agonizing weight of keeping a secret from his beloved wife. Opposite him, Riri Dauigoy’s Morticia is a force of nature, commanding respect and radiating a "deadly" elegance that anchors the show.
LJ Bala’s Wednesday offers a fascinating, more emotional take on the character. Unlike the traditional cold and detached versions, this Wednesday feels multi-dimensional and vulnerable, which adds a fresh layer of stakes to her romance. Steven Hotchkiss as Uncle Fester is the undisputed wildcard; a bald mastermind orchestrating the night’s events with a niceness that hilariously betrays his creepy appearance.
The younger and older generations held their own, too. Aleczandra Luna plays the bratty Pugsley to perfection; you can practically smell the gunpowder and trouble brewing whenever Pugsley speaks. Rona Layne Bandilla delivers a fascinatingly "crazy" Grandma, whose cartoon- like delivery provides some of the biggest laughs of the night. Meanwhile, RJ Isip’s Lurch proves that you don’t need dialogue to be expressive; he stays faithful to the silent giant trope while stealing scenes with his sheer physical presence.
The "normal" Beineke family provided the perfect foil to the madness. Anthony Luna (Lucas), Eli Pueblo (Alice), and RJ Panerayon (Mal) were surprisingly compelling, capturing the hilarious awkwardness of being thrust into a house full of ghouls. Their singing and fish-out- of-water reactions were a highlight. Finally, the Ancestors deserve a standing ovation of their own. As the supporting backbone of the play, they made the stage feel constantly alive, blurring the lines between the living and the dead and making the entire production feel truly magical.
Honoring the Legacy: A Beautifully Macabre Must-Watch
Ultimately, The Addams Family isn’t just a niche production for die-hard goth fans or lore historians. It is the quintessential date-night show: funny, visually stunning, and self-aware enough to never take itself too seriously. Whether you’re a fan of the original 1930s panels or the 2026 stage aesthetic, this production honors the legacy of the franchise perfectly.
It is a beautifully macabre reminder that being "weird" is a wonderful thing. By the time the final notes play, this show promises to have you leave the theater with a lingering smile, newfound appreciation for the dark side, and, of course, an irresistible urge to snap your fingers.
The Addams Family Musical is running for 2 weekends only, up to May 3, 2026 at the Doreen Blackbox Theatre in Ateneo de Manila University.
Currently, all tickets are soldout.