Annie

It was hard to believe that it was ten years since Lyric Club had last performed Annie, a memorable show then, and I’m not sure how mant ‘tweaks’ Alan had made to his original production, but this was certainly a polished performance, with J.Campbell Kerr reprising his portrayal of Daddy Warbucks.  Most of the others would not have been in that cast, particularly the inhabitants of the orphanage, principally Sara Cartwright (Annie), a tour de force with excellent diction/enunciation in her singing, and well enacted movement in controlling her fellow inhabitants, all constantly imposed upon by Julie Cassells (Miss Hannigan) who played drunk very convincingly.  Rehearsals must have been fun, with 28 ‘orphans’ for four performances and 29 for the other three, but certainly the Friday girls were a great team, all obviously enjoying themselves and moving as a team, well trained.  Maureen Todd (Grace Farrell) sharp enough to see through the disguise of Roy McGregor (Rooster Hannigan) and his floozy Morven McCallum (Lily St.Regis) trying to gain the money.  Radio ‘star’ Andrew Scott (Bert Healy) and his singing trio Islay McVean, Lorna Ramsay and Heather Smith (The Boylans) along with ‘ventriloquist’ Alan Orr (shades of Archie Andrews) provided some humour, the downtrodden inhabitants of the 59th St.Bridge shantytown some pathos, and Robert Fyfe (Presidnt Roosevelt) and his cabinet some gravitas.  Warbucks’ army of servants managed what was called ‘maze-marching’ in my far-off BB days with precision and the ‘rags to riches’ in this depressed scenario was well executed.  A show which to some is a non-starter, this production moved smoothly, orchestra direction from Tom was well controlled, allowing the singers to be heard and the choreography to work well, the only one seeming to want to go her own way was Lola (Sandy the dog) — animals and children!!  The combination needn’t be a problem all the time, and certainly this show provided plenty of entertainment to the fill house.

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