NYC has arrived in Wimbledon this week with Annie taking centre stage. Few musicals have embedded themselves into popular culture quite like Annie with songs and catchphrases instantly recognisable even to those who rarely step inside a theatre. Judging from the audience last night the show remains as popular now as it was when it opened on Broadway in 1977. The show tells of Annie, a orphan at Miss Hannigan’s children’s home. When billionaire Mr Warbucks learns takes Annie in for Christmas, a nationwide search for her parents soon attracts attention from figures whose motives are far from genuine.
The show is one that appeals to all ages – with the music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin it is packed full of numbers you forgot were even from the show and a storyline by Thomas Meehan about the power of belonging it is clear why this show has such enduring appeal. In addition the wonderful thing about the current touring production of Annie is that thanks to director Nikolai Foster the show feels modern whilst still staying true to the roots of what has made Annie such a family favourite. It avoids any sickly saccharine edge in doing so. The fresh feel is partly due to the look of the show with a set that feels inventive and impressive and choreography which balances period flavour with energetic contemporary movement as the sheer energy that the cast attack the show with.
Victoria Alsina played Annie at my performance, sharing the role with 2 other girls and she was captivating throughout the show- balancing brilliantly the line between Annie as a charming little girl and a precocious one Alsina was every inch the young star. La Voix took the role of Miss Hannigan and by the end of the show I wanted to join in the kids refrain of ‘We love you Miss Hannigan’ to show just how I felt about her performance. La Voix proved she could deliver a wonderful comedic performance and was the ideal front woman for numbers such as ‘Little Girls.’
Alex Bourne took on the role of Daddy Warbucks and he is possibly one of the most likeable Daddy Warbucks I have seen. He allows the characters emotional transformation to feel genuine rather than inevitable and in doing so he wins over not only Annie but the audience. Alongside Bourne as Grace was Tanisha-Mae Brown who simply oozed charm as as her characters name dictates Grace. The children’s team on stage the night I saw it were the Chrysler team and their attack throughout the musical numbers could put many adults to shame on stage (although not the adults in this production I hasten to add).
The staging of the numbers by choreographer Nick Winston was a delight with each group of people, from the orphans to Warbuck’s staff through to those living in a shanty having a very distinct physical vocabularies, ensuring that each number gave the audience something new to discover about the show.
The set designed by Colin Richmond remains from recent touring productions but when it is a delight such as this one it is easy to see why they refrain from reinventing the wheel. The show is framed with jigsaw pieces giving the whole show a childlike feel and the thoughtful design ensures that the pace never drops and even during necessary set changes there is something interesting to capture the audience’s attention.
Whilst Annie may now be approaching 50 years old, this production proves that there is nothing dated about its ability to charm an audience. Packed with warmth, humour and sincerity, this tour captures the optimism at the heart of the musical without becoming overly sentimental. Thanks to a strong cast, inventive staging and a clear understanding of why the material continues to resonate, Annie remains the perfect reminder that sometimes ‘The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow’ is exactly what the audience need to hear.
Annie is running at New Wimbledon Theatre until 30th May. You can find out more about the tour and book tickets here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of The Ballad of Johnny and June, The Bodyguard and Double Indemnity.