REVIEW: Annie (in exactly 250 words)
Posted on 11 August 2017
Annie, currently playing at London's Piccadilly Theatre, is an energetic, entertaining and effervescent revival, proving that you don't need barricades or flying broomsticks to make a first-class musical.
The show flies past in a whir of lively musical numbers, lovable characters and a string of laugh-out-loud moments; you won't want it to end. This is all brought seamlessly together by staging that, whilst quite consciously Matilda-like, has an extremely impressive visual impact. We all know that the music in Annie is great, and in this production it is made even better by brilliant choreography.
The charismatic cast of children in Annie perform to an amazingly high standard. When I saw the production, Ruby Stokes was playing the title role and lifted the whole show with her heartfelt performance.
So let's talk about celebrity casting. In a recent blog, I argued that we should Stop Applying Blanket Rules to Celebrity Casting and Miranda Hart in Annie is a great example of why: just because she isn't a traditional (or particularly scary) Miss Hannigan, doesn't mean that her performance isn't absolutely fantastic. Hart makes the role her own, bringing humour to the show and, whilst a little awkward in the musical numbers, she owns the stage during her scenes.
A review of Annie wouldn't be complete with a mention of the adorable dog, Amber, who played Sandy, a role that was widely appreciated by the audience.
All in all, Annie is a fun and feel-good show that you really should not miss.
Book your tickets to see Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre now!
