Review: Annie, Theatre Royal
It is believed that musicals always do well in a period of economic downturn. How strange that a show, set in the Great Depression of the late twenties/early thirties, should be celebrating its thirtieth anniversary tour, eighty years on from the first significant depression in living memory.
On paper it can look slightly mawkish - yet I'd dare any man, woman or child to resist the feelgood factor of this latest production.
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Su Pollard (right) as Miss Hannigan in Annie
Sure, it is in the safe hands of Su Pollard as Miss Hannigan, head of the New York City Municipal Orphanage and a sleazy, pitiful character.
Ms Pollard gives her an air of likeable desperation, a harridan of sorts. It is her fourth stint in the role and has made it her own.
The open scenes reveal a feisty set of orphans and It's A Hard Knock Life and Maybe kick the show off in style.
It is truly an ensemble piece - the whole cast give their all.
Sure there are cheesy moments but they're deliberate.
In contrast, numbers such as We'd Like To Thank You take a bitter swipe at the politicians partly responsible for the economic crash.
Annie exists in this underworld until she is recruited to spend time with billionaire Oliver Warbucks. David McAlister is a polished and hugely entertaining Warbucks with something of Patrick Stewart about him.
He shines, notably in the second half.
Miss Hannigan's errant brother Rooster and his girl Lily St Regis attempt to defraud Warbucks of both Annie and a huge reward, aired on the hilarious Oxydent Radio Show, a riotous send up of old style radio commercials.
It is these little asides that make Annie what it is - a beautiful piece of theatre.
The standouts are James Gavin as the nimble, shifty Rooster, Simone Craddock's Grace Farrell, the future Mrs Warbucks, and Chris Molloy, who has a plum of a role in butler Drake.
The cuteness of the dog, the dancers from Marcia Jones School Of Dance and an enthusiastic orchestra under John Donovan's direction, all add to the fun and frolics.
Poignant, warm, sometimes sad -- a wonderful night of entertainment. Don't miss it.
Phil Ball
2 Comments
by Kev, Nottingham
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 3:58PM
“THE STORY OF ANNIE THE LITTLE ORPHAN GIRL WHO WAS DUMPED ON THE STEPS OF AN ORPHANAGE JUST AFTER SHE WAS BORN, TO BE CARED FOR BY THE GIN SODDEN MISS HANNIGAN.
AFTER A FAILED ESCAPE BID IN THE BACK OF A LAUNDRY VAN, ANNIE IS RETURNED TO THE ORPHANAGE, TO THE GREAT DISMAY OF MISS HANNIGAN.BUT LUCK IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER FOR ANNIE AS SHE HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH OLIVER WARBUCKS, THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN WHO HAS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ON HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY PHONE ACCOUNT.
AFTER A BIT OF A FALSE START WITH DADDY WARBUCKS, HE WANTED AN ORPHAN BOY BUT GOT ANNIE, WARBUCKS WARMS TO ANNIE'S CHARMS AND DECIDES THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT ANNIE. ANNIE THOUGH WOULD LOVE TO BE WITH HER REAL MUM AND DAD, SHE HAS BEEN LIVING ON THE HOPE THAT THE NOTE HER PARENTS LEFT HER SAYING THAT THEY WOULD BE BACK FOR HER, WOULD COME TRUE AT CHRISTMAS.
DADDY WARBUCKS SETS ABOUT TRYING TO FIND HER TRUE PARENTS BY OFFERING A REWARD OF $50,000 WHICH ATTRACTS NEARLY AS MANY LIARS AND CHEATS.
NEWS GETS BACK TO MISS HANNIGAN'S BROTHER AND HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND AND THEY SET THEMSELVES UP TO BE ANNIE'S PARENTS TO GET THE MONEY, BUT THEY ARE FOUND OUT AND ARE ARRESTED, ALONG WITH MISS HANNIGAN, ANNIE'S PARENTS DIED A WHILE BACK AND ANNIE AND THE WARBUCK HOUSEHOLD ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
MISS HANNIGAN IS PLAYED SUPERBLY BY NOTTINGHAM'S MOST FAMOUS AND POPULAR DAUGHTER, SU POLLARD.
ANNIE WAS PLAYED BY LYDIA TUNSTALL AND I CAN SEE LYDIA BEING A STAR OF THE FUTURE, SHE HAS THE CHARM, THE VOICE AND THE STAGE PRESENCE THAT WILL TAKE HER PLACES.
BEST DANCER FOR ME HAS TO BE JAMES GAVIN WHO PLAYS ROOSTER HANNIGAN, THE EX JAILBIRD BROTHER OF MISS HANNIGAN. YOU COULD JUST TELL THAT HE IS WELL VERSED IN THE ART OF HOOFING.
ANNIE ALSO HAS A WONDERFUL SET WHICH GETS YOU IN THE MOOD FOR CHRISTMAS. THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE WHOLE FEEL GOOD AURA JUST MAKES YOU FEEL WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE AND I DARE ANYONE NOT TO BE SINGING "TOMORROW", TOMORROW OR THE DAY AFTER.”
by Kev Castle, Nottingham
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 3:55PM
“THE STORY OF ANNIE THE LITTLE ORPHAN GIRL WHO WAS DUMPED ON THE STEPS OF AN ORPHANAGE JUST AFTER SHE WAS BORN, TO BE CARED FOR BY THE GIN SODDEN MISS HANNIGAN.
AFTER A FAILED ESCAPE BID IN THE BACK OF A LAUNDRY VAN, ANNIE IS RETURNED TO THE ORPHANAGE, TO THE GREAT DISMAY OF MISS HANNIGAN.BUT LUCK IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER FOR ANNIE AS SHE HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH OLIVER WARBUCKS, THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN WHO HAS PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ON HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY PHONE ACCOUNT.
AFTER A BIT OF A FALSE START WITH DADDY WARBUCKS, HE WANTED AN ORPHAN BOY BUT GOT ANNIE, WARBUCKS WARMS TO ANNIE'S CHARMS AND DECIDES THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO ADOPT ANNIE. ANNIE THOUGH WOULD LOVE TO BE WITH HER REAL MUM AND DAD, SHE HAS BEEN LIVING ON THE HOPE THAT THE NOTE HER PARENTS LEFT HER SAYING THAT THEY WOULD BE BACK FOR HER, WOULD COME TRUE AT CHRISTMAS.
DADDY WARBUCKS SETS ABOUT TRYING TO FIND HER TRUE PARENTS BY OFFERING A REWARD OF $50,000 WHICH ATTRACTS NEARLY AS MANY LIARS AND CHEATS.
NEWS GETS BACK TO MISS HANNIGAN'S BROTHER AND HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND AND THEY SET THEMSELVES UP TO BE ANNIE'S PARENTS TO GET THE MONEY, BUT THEY ARE FOUND OUT AND ARE ARRESTED, ALONG WITH MISS HANNIGAN, ANNIE'S PARENTS DIED A WHILE BACK AND ANNIE AND THE WARBUCK HOUSEHOLD ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
MISS HANNIGAN IS PLAYED SUPERBLY BY NOTTINGHAM'S MOST FAMOUS AND POPULAR DAUGHTER, SU POLLARD.
ANNIE WAS PLAYED BY LYDIA TUNSTALL AND I CAN SEE LYDIA BEING A STAR OF THE FUTURE, SHE HAS THE CHARM, THE VOICE AND THE STAGE PRESENCE THAT WILL TAKE HER PLACES.
BEST DANCER FOR ME HAS TO BE JAMES GAVIN WHO PLAYS ROOSTER HANNIGAN, THE EX JAILBIRD BROTHER OF MISS HANNIGAN. YOU COULD JUST TELL THAT HE IS WELL VERSED IN THE ART OF HOOFING.
ANNIE ALSO HAS A WONDERFUL SET WHICH GETS YOU IN THE MOOD FOR CHRISTMAS. THE BIG CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE WHOLE FEEL GOOD AURA JUST MAKES YOU FEEL WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE AND I DARE ANYONE NOT TO BE SINGING "TOMORROW", TOMORROW OR THE DAY AFTER.”