Keswick Amateur Operatic Society are back with another award-winning musical.

This year they are performing The Addams Family at Keswick’s Theatre By The Lake, based on the comic strip characters of the 1930s, created by Charles Addams.

Though created just under a century ago The Addams family has certainly not aged.

Artistic director Chris Briggs said: “It has not been the easiest of shows we’ve ever done, but it is possibly one of the most gratifying.We’re fortunate to have highly competent local musicians who like to play for us. It has been tricky technically to get everything in place on set in order to incorporate props, actors and sound under the constraints of performing in a commercial theatre.”

On the first night the sound speakers were positioned in a different place than usual, causing a momentary problem for Cole Kelly, who plays a very convincing Wednesday. She recovered brilliantly and adjustments to the sound positioning at the interval prevented any further issues.

Chris said: “I think the cast did stunningly well and they are finding a path through new things. We’re trying to use as much technology as we can and the company worked really well with the entire team pulling together.”

The singing quality of all the cast members is outstanding. It is easy to forget that they are amateurs.

The story begins when Crossbow-wielding Wednesday Addams falls inexplicably in love with a “normal” boy, Lucas Beineke. The boy and his family are invited to dinner, much to Morticia’s revulsion. The scene is set for chaos as Wednesday’s brother Pugsley, not wanting to lose his sister to another, steals his grandma’s acrimonium potion to cause pandemonium.

All of the Addams clan (including many long-since-departed ancestors) get to make an appearance in a show that left the audience cheering.

The eccentric grandma is performed hilariously by Gill Hinckley and an audience favourite is man-of-few-words Lurch, played by Alex Lehniger. Lurch’s platform shoes are a great prop which elevate him high above the rest of the cast.

Theatregoer Ian Wallace from Keswick said: “I came to see them do Spamalot, I think it is very entertaining and the singing is great.”

And Liz Davis from Portinscale said: “I enjoyed it very much. The singing was good. I was surprised that they revealed the orchestra at the end – I thought the music was recorded it was that good.”

Emily Royal, from Keswick said: “I’ve never seen it before it was a really good one to see. It’s quite different.”

If you like dark comedy, cheerful numbers and a macabre crew with a ghost corpse bride, suffragette, Indian, Mexican, nurse and many more line dancing, doing the tap, twist and tango, this one’s for you.

Tickets are available at £8 to £18 from the Theatre by the Lake box office on 017687 74411. LYNNE WILD