A review in AF Citizen highlighted The Ruth’s staging of The Addams Family musical for its effective mix of laughs, spectacle and heart, noting the production’s success in capturing the quirky essence of the iconic family. The publication described the performances as engaging throughout, with strong direction and cast delivering both comedic timing and touching family themes. AF Citizen reported that audiences responded warmly to the show’s balance of dark humor and emotional resonance during its run at the Performing Arts Centre in Salmiya.
The musical, with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, centers on Wednesday Addams falling in love with a boy from a conventional family, leading to a chaotic dinner that exposes secrets and ancestral spirits. Staged in Kuwait, the organization behind the current production, has scheduled eight performances between October 22 and October 31, 2026, with tickets starting at KD 7.5 and a minimum audience age of eight, according to its official website. The production runs approximately 150 minutes including an interval.
Staged in Kuwait has built a track record of mounting large-scale musicals in the country, including Matilda in 2025, Little Shop of Horrors in 2024 and Chicago in 2023, the group’s website figures show. These productions have drawn consistent audiences to the Performing Arts Centre at The English School in Salmiya, contributing to a growing local appetite for international musical theater. The current Addams Family staging continues that pattern by adapting the 2010 Broadway original, which itself drew from Charles Addams’ long-running New Yorker cartoons.
AF Citizen noted that the cast excelled in portraying the eccentric Addams characters while finding genuine emotion in the story’s exploration of family acceptance and individuality. The review singled out the production values for creating an immersive experience that amplified the show’s signature blend of the macabre and the tender. Such elements have helped the musical maintain popularity in regional stagings since its debut more than 15 years ago.
The Performing Arts Centre venue has hosted multiple family-oriented productions in recent years, aligning with broader efforts to expand cultural offerings in Kuwait. According to data from similar past events covered by Arab Times, attendance at musical theater performances in the country has rebounded steadily following periods of reduced activity, with family shows often leading the recovery. Organizers for The Addams Family have encouraged early ticket purchases given the limited run across late October dates.
AF Citizen concluded its assessment by recommending the show to both longtime fans of the franchise and newcomers, citing its ability to entertain across age groups while delivering memorable musical numbers and stage effects. The production’s emphasis on themes of difference and belonging has resonated in a market that has seen increased demand for such narrative-driven spectacles, local theater observers have reported in prior coverage.
