Playhouse Whitley Bay – until 31st August 2024
Reviewed by Sandra Little
5*****
Annie is the third musical of the summer from astravaganza entertainment and, as with the previous two, this offering did not disappoint! The fact that an amateur cast of over 60 actors, including over 40 children, had two weeks and two dress rehearsals to put together this fantastic show is quite amazing. The high standard of the performance is testament not only to the actors but also to the creative team working behind the scenes who unfortunately are too numerous to mention.
Many people will be familiar with the storyline of Annie but for those who are not it begins in a New York orphanage in December 1933 where we are introduced to a group of orphans, including Annie (played by Charlotte Pledger), and the loathsome director of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan ( played by Deborah Taylor-Smith). We learn that Annie’s parents left her with one half of a silver locket and a note promising to return for her one day. Annie escapes from the orphanage and in her quest to find her parents she arrives in “Hooverville,” a shanty town built by the unemployed and destitute of New York.
Annie’s taste of freedom is short lived and she is soon returned to the orphanage to suffer the wrath of Miss Hannigan. However Annie’s life improves when she is chosen to spend Christmas with rich businessman Oliver Warbucks (Brian Jordan). Mr Warbucks promises to help Annie find her real parents but this quest is by no means straightforward and Annie’s happiness is almost thwarted by imposters Mr and Mrs Mudge played by Corey Clarke and Luisa Gibson. Needless to say that the story does have a happy ending despite various problems that are solved by Mr Warbucks and the influential connections he has, including the president, F.D. Roosevelt played by Alan Davison.
This high energy offering of Annie has everything you would expect from a more expensive production. There were some super dance routines, fabulous costumes that really captured the fashions of that era and great songs. Scenery was essentially a very effective video wall with the scenes below Brooklyn Bridge and those in the White House being particularly impressive. The enthusiasm of the children in the cast never faltered and undoubtedly added to the enjoyment of the performance. No one would have ever guessed that they had only rehearsed for a couple of weeks.
For me, the stand out character in this show (apart from Annie and the other orphans of course) was Miss Hannigan; she was both comedic and despicable in equal measure! This joyous performance from the whole of the cast provided the audience with over two hours of optimistic escapism from daily life.