I’ve still got a grin on my face from seeing Annie at Dartford Orchard Theatre on Monday night.
The actors and actresses were talented beyond belief, the sets were amazing and it just made you feel great all round.
To see a West End production in a theatre with a community feel is special, and I don’t think I’d ever get bored of it.
Annie is one of my favourite films, but I’d never seen it in the theatre before – but what a treat it was.
There were people of all ages in the audience – from kids, to Gen Z, to adults, to pensioners – some with their grandkids and some without.
There wasn’t one person who wasn’t smiling at the end, and the standing ovation said all it needed to say.
I wanted to sing along to every song and I wanted to get up and dance.
The show is set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, when Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.
Her luck soon changes when she's chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks.
Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family…
Craig Revel Horwood, probably best known as a judge on all 20 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, returned to the part of Miss Hannigan having played the role to critical acclaim in this production in both the West End and on tour.
He had the whole audience in stitches at times.
11-year-old Poppy Cunningham is a star in the making, with her absolutely incredible performance as Annie.
Her voice was second to none, her acting was perfect and she was absolutely adorable.
The orphans were beyond cute too, so talented, and I have to say my heart was most drawn to Karen Narumi who played Molly.
What a sweetie!
Annie has music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan.
It is directed by Curve’s artistic director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker.
The show is on at Dartford Orchard Theatre until Saturday (May 6), and if you can get yourself some tickets, I promise you won’t regret it.
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