Big Picture
Annie follows the story of an 11 year old girl living in an orphanage who hopes to one day be reunited with her parents who had left her as a baby promising they would one day return. Annie is chosen to spend two weeks at Christmas with the extremely wealthy Oliver Warbucks and the musical is largely about their growing bond and the search for Annie’s parents.
It’s a very famous musical that has been around for decades and is particularly known for songs such as Maybe, Tomorrow, and It’s A Hard-Knock Life.
I saw the Sydney show with Anthony Warlow at the Capitol Theatre.
First Impressions
I had seen the Annie Jr. version of this show at a school three years ago, but still didn’t quite know what to expect when I walked into the Capitol Theatre in Sydney with my 6 year old son.
I’ll admit I was tentative. Perhaps because it’s not a new show. Perhaps because not all the songs are my all-time favourites. Perhaps because of the Jr. version (although that had been really well done!). Perhaps cause I was there with my young bloke and hoped he didn’t need the loo mid-way through Act One. (I still need to work on my patience.)
Maybe it was the fact that it would be kids singing a number of the songs, and I really enjoy adults with their mature voices belting out the high notes, like in The Wizard and I, or Giants In The Sky.
But, I should have known better.
The cast was first class. Anthony Warlow was brilliant. The orchestra was perfect. The dog was cute. The scenery and lighting was another highlight thanks to the tasteful use of projection, a transparent curtain and the variation: one moment three artists dance on a bare stage and it’s all about the pure performance, but then seconds later, the whole scene has been transformed into The White House in convincing detail.
Child Performers
There are multiple actors who rotate through the child roles. Annie was played by Matilda Casey for our performance and she and the other amazingly talented kids sang, expressed, and danced with all the skill and energy we are used to seeing from seasoned adult stars. It is no small task to lead the opening scenes of a musical, but these girls had confidence and quality. In short, they nailed it.
The Theatre
We sat mid-way back in the Dress Circle at Row L and the view was great. The theatre has heaps of character and some interesting quirks and things to show kids at Intermission.
Should I take my kids?
The conductor gave the audience a big wave at the beginning, showing straight away that kids were definitely in mind during the making of this production. And overall the show is appropriate and not super intense. That said, I did need some chats with my son afterward about themes such as nastiness towards children and parents dying.
The age recommendation given by the producers is 6+. Personally, I would make that 8+ to be safe. The darker parts of the story may only be short-lived and might go over a young one’s head, but they also may not. Food for thought anyway; do what you feel comfortable with depending on your own little ones.
Conclusion
Annie was a famous musical done well. It has surprises and small touches that make it fresh even though it is a classic. It was another demonstration of how high the bar is these days.
Having kids in the show only makes it better. And it doesn’t matter if all the songs aren’t your favourite, because when you see it live and they are part of the story it just works. It doesn’t matter if the show is not the spectacle of a Hamilton or We Will Rock You because this production wins you over with its own charm. There is nothing like seeing a quality show done properly and you will struggle to find a better production of Annie.
This was a special afternoon for my son and me. I’m glad it’s in Australia for a while yet and hope to get back to see it again!
