Hit Musical Annie Review

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There’s something special about getting to see a show I’ve not seen before. In fact, I’ve not seen the movie for this one either, so it was a journey into the unknown for me. The hit stage musical Annie has arrived at The Regent Theatre, and I’m so glad that I didn’t prejudge it. I’ve obviously heard of the movie. Who hasn’t? But it’s one I’ve never gotten around to watching.

The story takes place during the great depression, following the Wall Street Crash in 1933. Poverty and homelessness are rife, the orphanages are full, and brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she's chosen to spend Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks in an attempt to improve his image. It’s a fairytale for any orphaned child! But spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas though, and she formulates a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.

With its Tony award winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs It’s The Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street and Tomorrow, it’s impossible not to love it.

The set is simple yet effective in its design, with the stage framed by a jigsaw puzzle. This seems to be a metaphor of Annie’s journey as she tries answer the questions about her life piece by piece and find her parents. The ensemble cast didn’t skip a beat with a variety of different styles of dance and dress that were utterly breathtaking. And anyone who reads my reviews regularly will know that I love a musical with a big band or orchestra. I wasn’t disappointed by Annie. It was real old school Broadway music performed by a fantastically talented orchestra, that transports you right back in time to the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway. Props and clothing are also reminiscent of the time the play is set. It all sets the feel for the show perfectly.

Annie is played by three different young ladies in this production, and on this occasion it was Mia Lakha, accompanied by loveable Labradoodle Amber as Sandy the dog. It was unbelievable to hear that this is Mia’s professional theatre debut as she played the part like a seasoned veteran. Her voice was sensational and she was just impossible not to adore.

There are also three different teams of young ladies that play the parts of the other orphans in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. On this occasion it was the aptly named Team Chrysler consisting of Zara, Kacey, Dulcie, Marie, Saskia & Sophia. They were all absolutely amazing with note perfect and incredibly choreographed performances. My wife and I found ourselves discussing how disciplined these youngsters must be to put on such a superb performance.

Bird’s of a Feather star Lesley Joseph stars as Miss Hannigan. She plays a blinder as the villain we love to hate, dastardly & cunning but lovable and hilariously funny at the same time.

Having been wowed by Carolyn Maitland in Ghost The Musical, it was great to see her back on stage as Grace Farrell, Oliver Warbuck’s secretary. As soon as she belted out her first number, I recognised her straight away and couldn’t wait to see what she had brought to the table for this one. Carolyn has an unmistakable voice that I can only compare to the legendary Julie Andrews. A kind of four octave, soprano style of singing that brings the cheer and old school style to a musical such as this one. When she sings, it seems so easy and doesn’t sound strained. It’s just sweet to listen to, and that’s what’s so special about her. She has a certain freedom in her higher range and you can really tell that she’s relishing the moment when she performs. Since losing her voice after an operation, some would say that Julie Andrews was the last of that kind of singer... Well I can tell you that’s definitely not the case and I look forward to seeing what Carolyn does in future. With movies like the Greatest Showman having done so well at the Box Office, it appears that movie musicals aren’t dead yet, and voices like hers are still in demand.

It was also great to see Susannah Van Den Berg back on stage after seeing her incredible performance in the UK tour of Sister Act. She has an amazing voice and is so loveable, and the four different roles she has in Annie suited her so well. Alex Bourne stars as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, and he was also superb. His vocals were soft and had lots of feeling, but he was also able to easily hit the punchy parts when it was required.

Annie truly has an all star cast, with seasoned pros and aspiring and talented youngsters! Mix that with a musical as brilliant as this, and it’s a formula for excellence. Don’t miss it!

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See below for a teaser of what to expect.

Annie will be showing at The Regent Theatre in Hanley until Saturday 23rd November. Tickets can be purchased online at www.atgtickets.com or by calling the Regent Theatre Box Office on 08448 717649.