Review by Holly
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Annie is the classic tale of found family and New York magic. Annie tells the story of an 11-year-old orphan wishing for her parents to take her away from the awful Miss Hannigan at the orphanage, until one day she is whisked away to spend Christmas living at a billionaire's home. From here she finds joy, magic and family. Now, if anyone doesn't know this story, you have been hiding under a rock; it is one of the most beloved classic musicals to grace stages, and I’m sure if you ever did amateur dramatics you definitely were in a production (I know I was) and so it is held close to many hearts. With a hopeful and heartwarming soundtrack, you always feel better once the curtain calls are done.
 |
| The cast of Annie. Photo by Paul Coltas. |
I want to firstly say Annie is a starting point for so many future stars of stage, as it will be many children's first roles, but I will tell you, you would never guess it from how these children put on an incredible show; you would think they are seasoned professionals, and when on stage with the adult acting, they work perfectly in tandem. I want to say a huge congratulations to the children in the cast; you did an absolutely splendid job and you were a joy to watch and I’m so excited to see you all in leading roles when you grow up. From a previous orphan at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage, I couldn’t be prouder of you.
A special well done goes, of course, to the little leading lady herself, Sophia Saravanan. You were spectacular. I recommend everyone go see Annie whilst it’s in Milton Keynes Theatre so you can be in awe of this girl; she is without a doubt a star in the making, her voice rivals those in adult leading roles in terms of technique and ability. To be able to take on a role that is barely ever off stage at that age is a true feat and to nail songs whilst Sandy is trying to steal treats from your pocket- professionalism at its finest. You immediately fall in love with her as soon as she is on stage and you root for her to find her happy ending. An utter joy to watch, I will be watching her career as I know she will go on to do incredible things.
The choreography was stand out in the show, from the orphans from “Its the Hard Knock Life” to the full cast singing “NYC” and “I Don’t Need Anything But You’ its so extravagant to watch the overflowing energy given by the dancers, it fills the rooms with buzz and pure admiration, each ending with applause from the audience, which I love to see, especially when you see the dancers faces at the end of the routine and they have given it their all, they are a credit to the cast.
 |
| Photo by Paul Coltas. |
From the set, songs, cast and story, Annie is a true feel good show that can be enjoyed no matter the time of year, if you’re looking for a family treat, a girls night out, a first dip into musicals or you just want to feel warm and fuzzy inside, this is the musical for you, I can promise you, you won’t be disappointed and you’ll leave the theatre singing along to “Tomorrow”.
Annie is playing at Milton Keynes Theatre until 26th July so make sure to grab your tickets fast and join Annie on her journey across New York to find her family.
 |
| Photo by Paul Coltas. |
Post a Comment