A certain fire put paid to the recent Peebles High production of The Addams Family completing its five-night run. But the talented cast and crew did manage two unforgettable performances prior to the disaster.

And Kirstin Beard has kindly provided a reminder of the show with her review.

PEEBLES High School’s macabre comedy The Addams Family, terrifically executed by director Charlotte Reid and produced by Sam Swinton, created a suitably spooky atmosphere which entranced and delighted all who witnessed it back in November.

Morticia and Gomez Addams, played by Emma Raeburn and Sean Tennant, welcomed us into their twisted family home, introducing us to the rest of the dysfunctional family: daughter Wednesday (Abby Darling); son Pugsley (Lorna Adams); Grandma (Kristin Beards); Uncle Fester (Elisha Barton) and the zombie butler Lurch (Josh Gardiner). Even teenage romance can blossom in the dark dungeons of the Addams mansion as Wednesday’s one true love Lucas, (Campbell Hunter), and his mother and father, Mal and Alice Beineke (Isaac King and Abigail Harper) were invited round for a dinner with a twist. Songs of love and screams of terror were intertwined during our stay with the Addams, where secrets and lies are exposed, casting a ghoulish shadow on the three couples’ relationships. But with a sigh of relief from the dead ancestors who watched from afar, played by Hannah Wallace, Cameron Coull, Hallie Murray, Joe Riley and Fionn Hollingsbee, love triumphs at last and the darkness settles again.

And of course, the show wouldn’t have given the audience chills down their spine without the atmospheric playing of the show band: Callum Anderson, Thomas Brydon, Sean Fraser, Ellen Finnie, Rachel Anderson, William Adams, Neve Reed, Mark Bisson, Jenny Campbell, Tracy Short, Ross Milligan and Ben Redman, all led by musical director Fiona Reed.

Between the torture devices and the dangerous remedies, the audience were treated to an uplifting experience that will go down in school show history.

The music and drama departments would like to thank Andy Wright, Fiona Henderson School of Dance, Border Studio, Blue Parrot Events, Upper Circle Costumes and Peebles High School Parent Council for their unfailing support during the show and following the cancellation of the final performance due to the fire.