Annie the Musical
Theatre Royal Brighton
until Saturday 24th October
The scene is set at the height of the great depression for this beloved red-headed orphan, but this bright new revival directed by Nikolai Foster is the perfect remedy to that. Full to the brim with big moves, strong vocals and attitude straight from the heart of New York City, Annie is one of the best musicals out there for all of the family.
At this performance the children were from the Chrysler team, they looked like they were having the time of their lives up on the stage and had great on-stage chemistry with their united front against the menacing Miss Hannigan (Claire Sweeney). Miss Hannigan provided many a comedic momentthroughout the evening, with her constant flirtations and penchant for a gin. I was also incredibly impressed with the continuity of a believable New York accent which was effortlessly maintained for the performance. She was joined by her on stage brother Rooster (Christian Cooper) and his partner in crime Lily St Regis (Amber Cooper) for a fantastically fun version of ‘Easy Street’ perfectly executed by the treacherous trio.
The adult ensemble in this production worked incredibly hard, with many costume changes portraying very varied characters from advisors to President Roosevelt to Broadway stars with a vibrant tap dance number. They really worked well as a company to bring the vibrancy of New York City life to the stage.
For any animal lovers, fear not this production also features a real-life Dog in the role of Sandy. This role is being shared between two gorgeous pooches for this tour and at the show I saw the role was played with great enthusiasm and lots of wags by Dizzy. To an audible array of ‘aahhsss’ whenever they took to the stage.
For anyone not familiar with the plot of the show, we follow the titular heroine on her journey out of the New York Orphanage that she has spent her life in to being picked for a Christmas stay with the billionaire Daddy Warbucks (Alex Bourne). The father and daughter relationship which developed during that time was one of my favourite elements of the show, it was warm and endearing and felt very genuine.
Victoria Alsina was playing Annie at this evening’s performance, already a seasoned actress having previously appeared in shows such as Les Mis and Matilda. She led the cast with a bold confidence in ‘Tomorrow’ which couldn’t help but lift your spirits. Whatever you’ve experienced in your day before taking your seat at the theatre that evening you won’t be able to help but come out with a warm glow inspired by the loveable Annie. I highly recommend that you beg, borrow or get like Miss Hannigan and steal a ticket for this fantastic show.
Annie is playing at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley until October 24, 2026.
Reviewer: Lisa Dawn
Photo: Paul Coltas