ANNIE - THEATRE REVIEW (UK Tour)

PERFORMANCE REVIEWED: Wed 14 Oct (Press Night)

Annie has, generally speaking, usually offered the sort of familiar, family-friendly, go-to production that has remained popular mostly by dint of it being such a ‘safe’ staple. It is warm, good-natured gooey schmaltz buoyed by Strouse and Charnin’s admittedly memorable and peppy music, but generally speaking so inoffensively middle of the road that it is scarcely a particularly exciting or invigorating production to visit as a result. And, most frustratingly, this has in most previous productions (and film adaptations) been due to the fact that the show has been played so relatively straight-laced. Mercifully, Nikolai Foster’s latest touring revival makes no such mistakes - taking the genius move of re-imagining the entire production through a decidedly Roald Dahl-esque filter which is instantly reminsicent of the recent successes of Matilda the Musical and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the West End (though Foster's original take on the show predates both).

It’s a move that not only feels completely natural, but in fact begs the question why such a heightened take on the show had not been thought of before. That’s not to say that the core narrative and characters have been re-imagined or re-designed in any significant way - this is not the abominable 2014 Jamie Foxx vehicle, after all - this is still the same Annie that many have come to know and love, albeit given a much-needed facelift and an extremely welcome injection of character, colour and West End worthy scope and showmanship. Everything that made the show likeable is present and accounted for, and where past productions may have flagged or lack in scope, Foster and his team have spruced it up to a standard that make it a dazzling and engaging experience that even manages to outshine many of it’s contemporaries.

Telling the story of its titular young orphan, Annie follows the plucky red-head as she escapes from the clutches of the tyrannical Miss Hannigan (Craig Revel Horwood, more on whom later), booze-swilling overseer of the orphanage where she lives, and into the temporary care of local Billionaire Tycoon Oliver Warbucks (an impressive and likeable Alex Bourne). The story that follows is a charming, if fairly predictable affair, even with a couple of somewhat bizarre deviations in Act II that remain questionably so, such as the inclusion of former US President Roosevelt and the pre-empting of his political ‘New Deal’ (which, naturally, was thanks to Annie).

Where some shows are inherently solid by nature of their story, characters and music, Annie can only real lay claim to one of these as a core selling point. And it is what makes this current production such a surprising achievement - the spectacular design work and vision for the production, married with an exceptional cast, really do elevate it to a quality far beyond what has come before bearing the same title. Nick Winston’s vigorous, vibrant choreography, Colin Richmond’s brilliantly heightened and sumptuously charismatic set and costume design (which again does seem to have more than a passing resemblence to Rob Howell’s work on Matilda), Ben Cracknell’s metamorphic, chameleonic lighting, and of course Foster’s direction clearly setting the dial up to 11 - this is big, lavish and quite brilliant musical theatre at a calibre one would never presume Annie could reach. Key set pieces such as ‘Hard Knock Life’, ’N.Y.C.’ and ‘You’re Never Full Dressed Without A Smile’ are at points genuinely thrilling, grandiose showstoppers, whilst ‘I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here’ is here a full-on, no-holds-barred spiritual sister to Beauty and the Beast’s iconic ‘Be Our Guest’.

Keeping with the Matilda parallels, this new production has seen fit to borrow that show’s ‘Trunchbull’ approach by having its key villainess played by a man - in this case the aforementioned Craig ‘Mr Nasty’ Revel Horwood of Strictly Come Dancing fame. It’s a canny choice - once the wig and heels are in place Horwood's Hannigan towers not too shy of 7 foot, and the sight alone of him drunkenly stumbling around in nightwear and robe, bemoaning the lot of the embitterred orphanage owner is certainly good for laughs. Horwood also gets chance to showcase some unexpectedly strong vocals - tearing through the rises and crescendos of ‘Little Girls’ with real power, and, perhaps not so surprisingly, is able to cut quite the rug dancing up a storm for ‘Easy Street’. He’ll likely not trouble the Olivier awards anytime soon, but it is nevertheless a fun, memorable turn that further adds to the character and heightened approach to the production.

The real stars of the show, however, are the company of young performers that could have easily have sunk the production were they not up to par with the quality and ambition on display around them. From the moment ‘Hard Knock Life’ tears through the auditorium, it is clear that these ‘little girls’ certainly don’t need saving, and they uniformly give as accomplished, disciplined and vocally exceptional performances as their admittedly excellent adult counterparts. Front-and-centre in the performance reviewed was the remarkable Sophie Pettit, brilliant almost beyond words as Annie. Pettit’s confidence, delivery and presence are faultless, not to mention her incredibly clean, crisp and strong vocals - including a stunning rendition of the show's seminal hit 'Tomorrow'. One would be tempted to say a bright future awaits her, but that would patronise the attainment of what she is already achieving - her performance in Annie sincerely one of the most confident and faultless leading musical theatre turns I have seen this year, age irrespective.

In many ways, Annie is the epitome of why I continue to adore visiting and reviewing theatre - to be surprised and challenged, or have my expectations proven not only wrong, but blown out through the back of the auditorium. At a time where there are some admittedly excellent revivals, but just as many uninspired retreads, Annie comes along and becomes an immediate flagship poster girl for how an old favourite can, and indeed should be re-imagined. The original show is still present and accounted for, and those fondly familiar with it, flaws and all, will no doubt be just as won over, but it has also been given a new lease of life by dint of a sublime design and direction overhaul and the gift of a cast which equally elevate the material. Nikolai Foster and his team should be proud of the faithful yet revitalising work they have done in once again not only making Annie a current, exciting slice of musical theatre that, as mentioned, can stand proudly amongst its equivalents, but also for so eloquently reminding us that an old Sandy dog can very definitely learn some shiny new tricks.

If, as the show cites, ‘You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile’, then put on your Sunday finest and head down to Annie - I left wearing the biggest I have in some time.

RATING - ★★★★★

ANNIE is running at the Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 13th to Saturday 31st October 2015.

CLICK HERE for more information on the show's run at the Hippodrome and to book your tickets!
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Press tickets for this performance of Annie were provided courtesy of the Birmingham Hippodrome directly. The author gratefully acknowledges their generous invitation.