Annie

Annie is one of those shows where you know you are going to laugh and cry (but are going to come out feeling good and humming the title song) and this production delivered both in spades. In 13 year old Brooke Smith the company found a real star to play Annie – she was perfect and you truly believed in her caring relationship with the other orphans and in the relationship she built up with Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, played by the ever excellent Craig Pike. Making her debut with the company as Miss Hannigan, Deborah Archibold was stunning – bold, brash and her rendition of “Little Girls” was show stopping. A nice foil to this was Kirsten Lobban’s Grace Farrell, Warbuck’s elegant and super efficient secretary. Ryan Peacock and Sophie Hamilton as “Rooster” Hannigan and Lily St Regis were well cast as the baddies of the piece – although in their defence it  has to be said their “Easy Street” with Miss Hannigan was excellent. Strong supporting performances were given by Angus Mackintosh (F.D. Roosevelt), John Robertson (Drake), Ricky Garden (Bert Healy) and by the other orphans (in this performance Ellie Yeats, Beth Nicolson, Molly Whitehouse, Jennifer McClung, Amy Emslie and Xenoa Campbell-Legister). Mention must be made of Ali Corbett whose solo in “N.Y.C.” as the Star-to be was noteworthy and perhaps a portent of his future. Another character, who stole every scene they were in, was Sandy the dog (played by the cute Stella) who had the audience aahing at her every appearance. A beautiful rich sound was produced by the 16 piece orchestra but, under the expert baton of Ewen A Ritchie, it never overpowered any of the singing. Chorus singing and movement were excellent as is expected from one of the city’s foremost society’s. Well done to all at The Lyric for another excellent show.

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