Annie

Annie the musical remains a popular choice for many amateur companies since its first debut on Broadway back in 1977 and the film which followed in 1982. Part of its enduring appeal is that the show features lots of children, some nicely drawn adult characters and not least, a heart-warming story.

For this production, the band had very cleverly been placed in a room stage left, freeing up the full width of the small theatre for the performers. This allowed entrances and exits on both sides, as well as an upper level, and gave a bigger space for the large cast. Two triangular ‘flats’ to one side completed the staging, which were rotated for each scene to show the different locations with additional props brought on such as tables, radio phone etc to dress the set. This worked really well and although there were a few first night glitches with the stage crew getting a little muddled at times with the changes, I’m sure these will have been ironed out for the rest of the run. Costumes were, as always, appropriate for the 1930s period setting and plentiful. Lighting was also effective including good use of a spotlight. Sound by contrast was a bit hit and miss at this performance although this will have been a complicated plot with so many singing and/or speaking characters.

Annie (Oona) gave a confident performance of this iconic role, with a lovely singing voice and some fine acting. In the spotlight, her rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ was sung with real feeling and emotion. She was well supported by a spirited bunch of fellow orphans who had good chemistry between them, and all moved and sang well. This was particularly evident in their opening number ‘It’s the hard knock life’ which involved some clever choreography with mops and buckets.

Miss Hannigan (Matilda) was clearly a little nervous at first but her confidence grew and by the end she had successfully pulled off a great character performance with just the right amount of disdain for the orphans. Her delivery of the lines and drunk acting was hilarious and ‘Little Girls’ also showed off her strong singing voice. Well done.

Rooster (Alfie) was full of cheeky character which worked well in the role and Lily (Layla) was suitably sassy as his moll. Their height/age differences enabled some lovely comic moments in their scenes and both collaborated well with Miss Hannigan in one of the show’s best numbers - ‘Easy Street’.

Oliver Warbucks (Mitch) performed the billionaire fatherly figure with real strength and was very secure in the role. He showed quiet compassion in his interactions with Annie and sang his solos with confidence. Likewise, Grace Farrell (Ella P) knew her part well and gave a delightful, dignified, bright performance. She spoke and moved with confidence and had a lovely voice.

President Roosevelt (Anthony) performed with real authority and together with his cabinet, sang and acted well.

The rest of the cast added real character and enthusiasm to their various roles. The servants led by a very capable Drake (Ethan) had good concentration and gave a tidy performance in their scenes. Likewise, the Hooverville residents all played their parts well and moved nicely.

The NBC radio studio was a particularly enjoyable scene with good performances from everyone. Burt (Ellis) had just the right vocal style and tone for the announcer and I particularly loved his ‘tap’ solo. We also enjoyed some excellent vocals from the Boylan Sisters (Connie, Elise and Izzie). N.Y.C. was another stand out moment with very glamorous show girls in beautifully sparkly costumes.

The show contains many musical theatre classics and the band did an excellent job in creating a rich and round sound from their new location, managing to synchronise beautifully with the cast despite the challenging sight lines. There were times when we missed some dialogue, but I think this was mainly due to the mics which didn’t always come on in time.

Overall, this was a delightful production with strong direction and very enjoyable, well rehearsed choreography. The talented young cast gave a really energetic and lively performance which was greatly appreciated by the packed audience. Very well done to all.

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