ANNIE THE MUSICAL | UK TOUR @ EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
★★★
“A joyous tongue-in-cheek production…”
THIS return of the musical Annie to the Edinburgh Playhouse is a particularly poignant one. The 2023 production starred Paul O’Grady, back in the role of Miss Hannigan for the first time in 25 years. Arguably, he was the attraction, not the title. He died at home suddenly, just three days after giving his final performance as Miss Hannigan at the venue.
Consequently, this latest production looks to the title itself to shift tickets with musical theatre stalwarts Claire Sweeney and Alex Bourne driving the action as the grotesque warden of New York’s Municipal Girls Orphanage and Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks respectively.
When 11-year-old foundling Annie is given the opportunity to escape the hard knock life of Miss Hannigan’s orphanage regime, she jumps at the chance to spend the Christmas holidays in the palatial home of mega-rich businessman Oliver Warbucks. However, when Warbuck’s plan to help her find her real parents is hijacked by Hannigan’s hoodlum brother, Rooster and his girlfriend, Lily, will Annie’s happy-evereafter remain nothing more than a pipedream.
Three teams of orphans and four Annies alternate throughout the tour and the Edinburgh press night saw the Empire Team joined by June Young as a knowingly melodramatic orphan Annie with Dizzy as her adopted stray pooch, Sandy. A boisterous and endearing Annie with a big belt, Young won hearts from her first number, Maybe. Dizzy, did too. Kept on a tight lead by Young, he received the obligatory, ‘Aw’, reserved for cute animals on their first entrance, but from then on was only really there for the treats.
The loud and lively Empire crew – Coco Chapman, Kennedy-May McLeary, Olivia Brooks, Chloe Angiama, Sienna Culm and Freya Beer – shine, It’s The Hard Knock Life proving a showcase of enthusiastic, young talent from the off.
This production of Annie is an eye-catching spectacle thanks in part to Colin Richmond’s compact, jigsaw themed set design, while Ben Cracknell’s lighting design adds the final magic, making the space he has to play with seem greater than it actually is. It’s also a story for our times. Set in America’s Great Depression, it’s tells of the fight of ordinary people displaced and made homeless in the wake of the 1929 Wall Street Stock Market crash as they struggle to survive in a world on the brink of war. Sound familiar?
Ensuring that theme never overpowers, Nick Winston’s choreography is lively with a great sense of fun and delivered by a tight ensemble that are light on their feet, well drilled and splendid all round. That’s never truer than in NYC, a fully energised love letter to the Big Apple and the highlight of the show, featuring everything from Yellow Cab drivers to tap-dancing sailors, all sensationally choreographed.
Sweeney as Miss Hannigan has big ‘broken heels’ to fill, not just those of O’Grady, but those of Su Pollard, Lesley Joseph, Craig Revel Horwood, Sheila Hancock who all made the role their own. As heightened performances are the order of the day, Sweeney is in her element and is a sassy addition to the roster; a comic harridan with a big voice, nicely malevolent but never any real threat.
Alex Bourne too is in fine fettle and makes for a warmly paternal Oliver Warbucks without ever losing the hard edge of a self-made billionaire. He receives great support from Tanisha-Mae Brown as his assistant, Grace Farrell. Brown has a truly delightful stage presence.
Less impressive are the show’s main protagonists. Christian Cooper and Amber Kennedy, as Rooster and Lily, are lost amongst the larger than life characters around them and Easy Street fails to ignite. Likewise, You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile finds the Boylan Sisters hard done by; it’s now more comedy than music and only really comes to life when reprised by the orphans.
Slickly directed by Nikolai Foster, even sound issues on opening night can’t quite distract from the joyous, uplifting nature of this particularly tongue-in-cheek production and timeless family favourite.
Full details and tickets HERE
