Annie

The musical Annie is a feel-good show full of optimism and hope set in 1933 against the background of the Great Depression in America and the looming Second World war II. It contrasts the luxury lifestyle of the billionaire Oliver Warbucks with the poverty and desperation of the down and outs in Hooverville and the young girls in the Orphanage. WC Fields is thought to have said “never work with children or animals” because they can be unpredictable and upstage the adults, but this is a musical that relies almost entirely for its success on exactly that with Annie, the other orphan girls and Sandy the dog having the best songs “Maybe”, “It’s a hard knock life”, “Tomorrow” and “You’re never dressed without a smile”.

The Maidenhead Musical Comedy Society were very fortunate to find a marvellous Annie in her first leading role, ten wonderful orphans and a cute dog that steal every scene they are in. They deliver the songs with plenty of character, lovely Ensemble movement and excellent singing volume that charms the audience. The adult characters are all well played but are regularly outshone by the younger cast.

Slickly staged with well-chosen projected back clothes that set the scenes quickly and effectively and an excellent seven-piece band under the stage, the cast convey the heartwarming sentiment and optimism of the songs without getting overly cutesy and sweet to create a very good production led by Annie and the Orphans with charm and great skill and fully justifying Miss Hannigan’s line, “The next thing you know they will make a musical about her”. 

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