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Leeds | Culture > Entertainment

THEY’RE CREEPY, THEY’RE KOOKY AND THEY ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT – A REVIEW OF LUUMT’S ‘THE ADDAMS FAMILY’

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Nehal Kothari Student Contributor, University of Leeds
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

LUU Musical Theatre Society’s production of The Addams Family is a standing ovation-worthy night out you won’t forget.

If you missed opening night of LUU Musical Theatre Society’s production of The Addams Family at the Riley Smith Theatre, you missed something truly special. The audience (a sea of students, theatre lovers, and curious first-timers alike)  rose to their feet the moment the curtain fell. The stamping, shouting, and sustained applause said it all: this was outstanding.

The two-act musical is one of those rare productions that manages to be genuinely funny, emotionally resonant, and utterly bizarre all at once. FUN is the word that comes to mind, the only way to capture what happens when gothic grotesque meets wholesome family drama, and somehow both win.

“A society of students delivered something that felt, at every moment, like a fully professional show.”

The story

At its heart, The Addams Family is about what happens when the people we love grow up and start making choices we don’t recognise. Wednesday Addams – darkly dramatic as ever, and our og black cat energy girl – has fallen in love with Luke (your classic golden retriever guy), and she wants to get married. Cue a family dinner with Luke’s thoroughly normal parents, and the sparks (and skeletons) come flying out. Morticia, struggling with the thought of losing her daughter, reaches a crisis point that sees her nearly walk out entirely. Gomez and Wednesday’s father-daughter bond is tested as he carries a secret too heavy for one man. And Luke’s parents arrive carrying their own quiet marital tension, which the evening gently unpacks with surprising heart.

What makes the show sing (literally and figuratively) is how it takes this wonderfully strange family and reveals that underneath the tombstones and the Thing, they understand love, loyalty, and the pain of letting go more deeply than most so-called normal families ever do. The ancestors, who materialise throughout in spectral cameos, give the show a beautiful sense of legacy and continuity. Quirky? Absolutely. But there’s more warmth in the Addams household than in most places.

The cast & crew

The ensemble was, frankly, amazing – every role felt considered, every performance committed. A special mention must go to Uncle Fester, who was a personal highlight of the evening: scene-stealing, perfectly timed, and played with an infectious joy that had the audience roaring. The chemistry between Gomez and Wednesday grounded the show’s emotional core. Morticia was magnetic! Her arc from composed matriarch to a woman on the edge of leaving was handled with real nuance. The crew behind the scenes matched the cast’s energy every step of the way, and it showed in every scene change, every lighting cue, every costume flourish.

A first-timer’s verdict

I brought along someone who had never been to a live play before. Naturally, they were unsure what to expect. By the end of the night, they told me that they loved it so much that they’d be going to more plays from now on. That, more than any review, tells you everything. The Addams Family is the kind of production that converts people, that reminds audiences why live theatre exists and why it matters.

LUU Musical Theatre Society, take a bow. You’ve earned it twice.

Editor: Grace Lees

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Nehal Kothari

Leeds '26

Hi! I'm Nehal Kothari, a writer, poet, and English Literature student currently pursuing my Master's at the University of Leeds. I've always been drawn to stories, how they shape us, challenge us, and reveal the quiet truths we often overlook. Before moving to Leeds, I completed my B.A. in English at GD Goenka University with a 9.17 CGPA, where I explored everything from adaptation theory to feminist criticism. My dissertation examined how minor characters in the Harry Pofter films are flattened or overshadowed compared to their literary depth, which deepened my interest in representation and narrative power.

Alongside my academic work, I've built a diverse writing background. I currently write for Her Campus Media and The Gryphon, and I've previously worked as a Lead Writer at British Noble Press, where I learned to adapt my voice to different clients and editorial styles. I've also interned with Muskurahat Foundation, creating social campaigns and community-focused content. Whether I'm writing articles, essays, or poetry, I'm always thinking about how language can connect people and make complex ideas feel accessible.

Outside of university and writing, I'm the author of Whispers of the Soul, my debut poetry collection exploring love, longing, and the small emotional shifts that shape us. I'm passionate about mythology, film, and the subtle ways learning unfolds over time-something I once reflected on when I wrote that "learning happens quietly… revealed subtly in the ability to grasp material you would have found inaccessible." When I'm not reading or writing, you'll probably find me exploring cafés, annotating books, or working on my next creative project.