The following review is from the 2008/2009 UK tour. Review by
Natalie Anglesey of City Life for Northern Souls.
This rags to riches fairytale is based on the Little Orphan Annie
cartoon series, so popular with Americans during the dark days of
The Depression. Indeed some of the lines still hit the mark in these
troubled credit crunch times. Created by playwright Thomas Meehan
and composer Charles Strouse, it's the sheer determination of the
plucky little orphan girl to make the best of every situation which not
only inspires New York's homeless but President Roosevelt's
Cabinet as well. First seen on stage in 1970, it was followed by the
glossy Hollywood film version which starred Salfordian Albert Finney
as the successful billionaire, Daddy Warbucks. Director Roger
Hannah has introduced some additional touches of humour to this
stage version and considering this is a touring production, the
pruned down, plush sets fly in and out at speed. The
enthusiastic cast is headed by bubbly Su Pollard (Hi-De-Hi)
one of the best Miss Hannigans I've seen. As the alcoholic
Matron of the orphanage, the audience loved her quirky sense
of fun, David McAlister (Hollyoaks) humanises Daddy Warbucks
and has a really good voice whilst Simone Craddock makes a
delightful Grace Farrell. Wigan's own Ellen Gallagher, as Annie, is a
good little actress and, after some initial microphone distortion, belts
out the big numbers. Unlike some new musicals, there are
several memorable songs like Tomorrow, Hard Knock Life,
Easy Street and Maybe which you're guaranteed to be
humming on the way home. The relentless jollity of
this show may prove too much for some but a
tonic for others.