Annie

It’s a tale as old as time……..oops, wait! Wrong show! But Annie really feels like part of the fabric of society with the musical having been first launched in 1977 (almost as old as me!) and the film in 1982 which is a staple of many a Christmas. It can be a challenge to take on a story so well-known and present it in a way that audiences still respond to. Mellows had no concerns on that score as the audience loved it and so did I!

One amazing thing about this production was all the returning stars from the previous show in 2012 and particularly how many former youth performers had returned into other roles. A society that nurtures its talent is well placed for the future so it was fantastic to see. And cast and crew could be proud of a well-directed and choreographed performance where the cast and audience seemed to be equally enjoying themselves.

Having seen a couple of sound issues at this venue in the past, it was great to see that the gremlins had stayed at home and both the volume and clarity was great. The set was simple but clever with voile panels and a projector taking us around Manhattan and creating all the different locales. Combined with a push on area that created Miss Hannigan’s office and some clever changes handled by the cast themselves in character, we had no problem moving around New York City. Costume was pretty much spot on although I thought the orphan costumes could have been “gussied down” a little, they were a bit too clean although absolutely perfect in style.

This was an extremely well-acted show across the board with no weak links in evidence.

Chloe Hayhurst-Harris was our feisty red headed heroine and there was definitely a touch of the Aileen Quinn’s about her performance! Her volume and projection were superb and she conveyed Annie’s sweet but rebellious nature extremely well. Along with her fellow orphans Molly, Pepper Duffy, July, Tessie, Kate, Mary & Nancy (Elia Edwards, Olivia Henry, Emily Meadows, Eva Rix, Dotty Foster, Aurora Basten, Ivy Veasey and Edith Veasey), we were treated to some well-choreographed and nicely executed numbers throughout the show.

And with another nod to the inspiration of the film, Richard Ainslie brough Oliver Warbuck’s to life, his movement and diction taking inspiration from the late, great Albery Finney. A commanding performance throughout. A lovely vocal performance by Hannah Turrell as Grace Farrell and it was lovely to see how the two of them progressed in their relationship.

Much of the comedic input was courtesy of Stefania Gandola as Miss Hannigan who managed to make her funny, vulnerable and wicked all at the same time. A great vocal and some hilarious facial expressions when dealing with the rotten orphans. Along with her no-good brother Rooster (Joe Wardle) and his girlfriend Lily St Regis (Daisy Parker), they form the terrible trio who try to scam Annie and Warbucks to get their hands on the dosh. The three worked really well together in popular numbers such as Easy Street and nobody is disappointed to see them get their comeuppance in the end.

The Warbucks estate staff (Faris Harlow-Makin, Natalie Veasey, Helen Thrupp plus ensemble) gave us great choreography and in character scene changes with strong vocals and the cast was rounded out by Tom Bailey as Roosevelt, Faris as Bert Healy, Olivia Matlock, Naomi Hughes & Lily-Rose Price as the Boylan Sisters along with Isabelle Lewington as Star to be; all contributing vocally and with strong choreography to the whole. Not forgetting of course, the wider ensemble who contribute so valuably across the show particularly for numbers such as Hooverville. Excellent performances across all cast members.

And we can’t forget the undisputed star of the show (I will always say this when there is a dog in the cast!) – Millie Lang as Sandy! Maybe a little less disciplined in her choreography than her two-legged co-stars but she was the goodest girl and deserves all the treats.

Annie is one of my favourites and this production remained true to the show whilst seeming fresh and energised. Well done to all concerned both on stage and off. Many thanks for the kind invitation and I look forward to seeing you all again next time.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.