REVIEW: Annie at Liverpool's Empire Theatre

Monday 7th March 2016 was press night for Annie the musical. Directed by Nikolai Foster, the well known story of the young orphan abandoned in the height of the Depression on the streets of New York unfolded.

As the crowds took their seats, there was some activity on stage as orphans hid under the blankets of the six beds arranged on stage. In an audience packed with families, you could literally hear a pin drop as the performance got under-way. This show captivates the attention of all from the opening number and holds it throughout. This is a highly engaging show.

The story tells of brave Annie's struggle as she is forced to live in misery at the hands of Miss Hannigan at her dismal orphanage. Abandoned by her parents and determined to find them, Annie has a change in luck when a billionaire invites her to spend the  Christmas holidays with him and his staff at his mansion. The camaraderie between Annie and her friends at the institution is portrayed beautifully by the young actresses. They really are exceptional.

Twelve year old Anya Evans who plays Annie is utterly magnificent as she performs the number "Maybe". Each of the orphans are phenomenal young actresses and their talent clearly belies their tender years. Their New York accents were excellent. Lesley Joseph  who plays Miss Hannigan on the other hand was not so convincing in her dialect. Whilst she portrayed the role well, I found her lack of an accent off-putting. It was almost as if she gave up on attempting to sound like she was from New York - Disappointing in view of the huge effort made by the rest of the cast.

The choreography by Nick Winston was fab throughout and the young orphans performed with gusto as if their very lives depended on it."Hard Knock Life" was particularly stunning.

Colin Richmond - designer captured perfectly the extremes of the orphanage and the Warbucks mansion with his clever set design. Jigsaw pieces form the main construct of the stage serving as a metaphor for Annie's life and the journey that she embarks upon. Coupled with great lighting, this was a success for the production.

The show delivers a bucket full of optimism in a period of 1930's lugubriousness via it's protagonist Annie, her orphan friends and Daddy Warbucks - played by Alex Bourne. Not forgetting Amber, the two year old labradoodle who commands the stage and receives copious amounts of coos from the audience as she obediently performs tricks.

It is a triumphant story detailing brave Annie's adventure. Don't delay or put this off until "Tomorrow", the sun may even come out . The show is running at Liverpool Empire until Saturday 12th March

Run Time: 2hrs 20 min (incl interval)
Purchase tickets here
Age Rating: Suitable for all the family
Performance rating: Excellent