Last night I went along to the Press Night of Annie at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford. My second time seeing the show, and I fell in love with it all over again! I last saw it a couple of years ago, it is one of those musicals that leaves you feeling so uplifted, and also in awe of the child cast.
Annie follows the story of an orphan girl, called Annie, who is chosen to spend the Christmas holidays with Mr Warbucks, a billionaire. They form such a strong bond that he decides he wants to adopt Annie, until her "real" parents come back to claim her (and a heft reward). Without any spoilers for anyone who doesn't know the storyline, it is a joyful show, packed with incredible songs and performed expertly by its young cast.
Firstly, as you walk into the auditorium you are greeted with a stunning set, inside the orphanage run by the hideous Miss Hannigan (Craig Revel Horwood). The children pile in and we quickly get introduced to all their wonderful characters. The child actors are exceptional, they really steal the show, every one of them is a star and they are lead expertly by the outstanding Poppy Cunningham as Annie. Adorable, expressive and professional, Poppy is a charming Annie and definitely had the audience routing for her from her first blast of "Maybe". It will forever amaze me that performers as young has her (eleven) can lead a musical with such ease and talent.
Craig Revel Horwood is every bit the perfect casting for Miss Hannigan. He is sloppy, excentric, flirty, cruel and self-centred; everything you could possibly hope for. This is not the first time he has taken on this role, and he is clearly at home on the stage. The dynamic between him, Rooster (Paul French) and Lily (Billie-Kay) is hilarious and they all ooze villainous glee in the stand-out number, "Easy Street".
Alex Bourne makes a wonderful Daddy Warbucks. He brings out his compassion and need for family so brilliantly, I discovered aspects of this character I hadn't noticed in previous productions. I'd often found this character to be a bit cold, but Bourne really showed the humanity and need of this character.
The music in this show is iconic, the performers are incredible, this is definitely one to watch! The night ended with a standing ovation for the whole cast, and whoops of delight for Poppy Cunningham as Annie.
I can't leave without mentioning "Sandy" who only had to set a paw on stage each time to receive a huge "awwwww" from the audience. Poppy handled the dog so professionally as she powered through the song, "Tomorrow" whilst keeping "Sandy" in the right spots on stage, and she received a huge cheer for her troubles. It was a lovely moment, and the entire show just brought that wholesome, warm feel-good energy. The perfect show if you want to feel uplifted, highly recommend.
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