Annie

3rd - 15th April 2023

The Alexandra Theatre 

Birmingham 

Act I - 1 hour and 5 minutes 

Interval - 20 minutes 

Act ll - 55 minutes 

Michael Harrison, David Ian with Exposition Productions and Rami Sabi present Annie. 

It's the era of The Great Depression and against the backdrop of New York in the 1930s sets the scene of a young and brave girl, Annie; a girl who lives her life forcibly at Miss Hannigan's orphanage. A life of misery and torment turns like the tide as she embarks on a course to discover her true parents; a life that changes when she is chosen by billionaire, Oliver Warbucks to spend Christmas with him. Miss Hannigan has other ideas and is determined to wickedly intervene with her plan to devastate Annie's search!

An unusual and delightful start to this performance with the children on stage quietly working away in the orphanage bedroom as the auditorium filled prior to the theatre lights dimming and the opening scene commencing! Annie the musical suddenly bursts into life in a riot of colour, song and dance for the first five minutes taking Birmingham by storm to a rapturous applause from the audience. 

A clever and entertaining way of engaging the audience prior to the performance! 

Annie played by Zoe Akinyosade won the hearts of the audience with a 'powerful performance,' I don't think by the end there was a dry eye in the house! 

Zoe (Annie) had a beautiful rapport with Sandy the dog, played by Lily and how she performed, sung and controlled Sandy throughout the scene was unbelievable. Amazing. 

Pardon the pun! But you'll know what I mean, I was a little 'puzzled' with the stage set design,  although and thinking abstractly I did wonder if the puzzle pieces were representing Annie's story; the story being complete with the last 'puzzle piece' put in place in the finale! However it was effective and with powerful lighting it gave a warm feeling and a glow inside!

Horrible and Humorous Hannigan! Performed spectacularly by the extremely talented Craig Revel-Horwood at his finest; singing, dancing and being generally obnoxious - in character I must hasten to add! 

Credit must go to the live orchestra which significantly added to and created a very atmospheric performance. 

I just loved the tap dancing during the radio scene and special mention to Lukin Simmonds whose character, Bert Healy engaged with the audience and sung the most 'magical music.'

Unfortunately the end of Act l came to a very abrupt and sudden end with the interval brought forward early and unexpectedly, for reasons unknown. Concerned for the cast and the dog I was reassured to see them return to stage in Act ll. 

Annie is crammed with a score of songs including 'Tomorrow,' 'It's a Hard Knock Life' and a memorable and colourful scene of song and dance in Act ll with the song NYC. What a spectacle!

As a child I was less enamoured of the 1982 Annie movie and the stage musical preferring a certain intergalactic space movie of that era but this week I have been manipulated and charmed by the Horrible and Humorous Hannigan, Miss Hannigan' and spellbound by darling, little Annie! 

A production of hope and optimism! That is 'Entertaining & enjoyable!'

'A riot of colour, song & dance!'

'Bright and Bubbly!'

'Toe tapping spectacle!' 

I really apologise for the cheesy, but strictly gag but 'I'm gonna give it a five!' (5/5)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️