Annie at Palace Theatre Manchester – a charming interpretation of an old classic | Review
For a musical built on nostalgia, this Annie that’s just arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester feels surprisingly lively – here’s our full review…
Annie is a show tied up with countless childhood memories. Whether you performed it in the school choir, watched the film starring Carol Burnett, or saw it on stage, we’ve all got our own memories of Annie since it first opened in 1977.
So to bring it to a modern theatre audience who no doubt feel some connection to the characters and score is no mean feat.
If you’ve seen any of the posters plastered around the city, you’ll see British drag queen ‘La Voix’ take centre stage as the slippery and gin-fuelled Miss Hannigan.
This is obviously a strategic move to get bums on seats, and although La Voix is of course a ferocious and standout performer, the production is so much more than that.
They say never to work with children in showbiz, so leading a group of 10-year-old orphans in a snappy and perfectly choreographed rendition of ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ is really a huge achievement in itself.
All the kids are wonderful, but Victoria Alsina, who plays the titular role, deserves particular credit. It’s a huge role for any actor, never mind a child, and she handles it with confidence, charm, and just the right amount of grit.
As expected, La Voix gets some of the biggest laughs of the night. Her Miss Hannigan leans heavily into the character’s chaos and bitterness, but never feels one-note. It’s a performance packed with quick-fire comedy, and the vocals are tight.
That said, Annie would be in trouble if it relied solely on stunt casting. Thankfully, it doesn’t.
The wider cast is consistently strong, the ensemble numbers are full of energy, and the costumes are nothing short of fabulous. The real challenge with Annie is making a story that’s approaching its 50th birthday feel fresh. This production doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to.
Instead, it focuses on delivering the songs people came for, giving the cast room to shine, and reminding audiences why the show has stuck around for so long.
La Voix might get people through the doors, but it’s the strength of the production as a whole that sends them home happy.
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Featured Image – Press shots (supplied)