A perfectly executed, impressive and dazzling revival of a timeless classic.
There is little as impressive as watching young children fill a 3000-person theatre with synchronised dancing, convincing acting and theatrical charm. As soon as you walk into Annie, the set, a colourful but dingy-looking orphanage bedroom complete with eight empty beds, sets the scene. When the children enter as the crowd chatter dims, they effortlessly settle into bed as the show begins. What follows is a two-hour production that feels like cinema on stage.
Set in New York City during the 1930s Great Depression, Annie, originally a 1977 Broadway musical by Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, follows an optimistic young orphan with her heart set on her parents coming back for her one day. The orphanage is run by the cruel, cold-hearted alcoholic Miss Hannigan, who despises the children and is equally disliked by them. Annie’s world changes when she is taken in for Christmas by billionaire Oliver Warbucks, leading to a suspenseful but heartwarming story of hope, longing and family.
Annie, played by June Young (also played by Victoria Alsina, Bibi Blossom Stockley-Webster and Sophia Saravanan), is a tour de force from the minute she enters the stage. Her loud, assertive energy fills the theatre, and the familiar, lovable redhead we all know is instantly recognisable amongst the children. Their impressive New York accents are the first thing that proves this production is no amateur one, with the second being the dramatic entrance of Claire Sweeney’s iconic Miss Hannigan.
From the entrance, it seems Sweeney, who named this her ‘dream role’, was made for the character. Her drunk, nasty demeanour feels completely convincing as she orders the ‘little kids’ to clean the room in the middle of the night. Pockets of humour are added throughout, not quite enough to make her likable, but certainly enough to keep the audience entertained.
It is after the children break into the second song of the night, ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’, that the show really comes to life. The hit musical number is harmoniously pitch-perfect, with all eight girls giving their all to the song and dance; galloping around the bedroom and creating an impression of child-like chaos and unruliness, blended with complete synchronisation and technical ability. This is shown throughout the show in other classics such as ‘Maybe’, ‘Little Girls’, ‘Easy Street’ and ‘Tomorrow’.
The production is gifted with talent after talent. Tanisha-Mae Brown’s Grace Farrell enters the orphanage in a pristine purple felt coat and 1930s hair, before Alex Bourne’s Oliver Warbucks is introduced as the set cleverly shifts to his swanky New York residence. Bourne plays Warbucks with such ease, creating an entirely believable dynamic between the reluctant businessman and over-excited orphan. Carl Sanderson’s President Franklin Roosevelt, alongside Amber Kennedy and Christain Cooper as the conniving Lily and Rooster, are equally exceptional in their roles.
A notable point of the show is, of course, the adorable cameo from Sandy the dog, a stray Annie meets while escaping the orphanage. The cockapoo receives immediate coos and gasps from the audience. The cuteness of an animal completely unaware of the show and its own character, somehow performing the role perfectly, is a winner with the crowd.
The set designs truly bring the show to life, from the clever portrayal of New York’s Broadway to Washington DC’s White House and everything in between. Each scene leaves nothing to the imagination, with perfectly crafted set pieces and backdrops illuminating each setting, alongside costumes to match.
The show is a visually pleasing and well-acted spectacle from start to finish, showcasing true theatrical talent. Each character, set and scene is as believable as the last, while the electric musical numbers will leave you humming these familiar songs for days to come.