Annie

Kids, a dog, and toe-tapping songs. What more can you ask of a musical? Annie ticks all the right boxes and this production did it proud.

The chorus of kids were great, Jade Kelly as Annie had the voice of a pro and belted her songs to the rafters, and you couldn’t wish for a kinder and more solidly appealing Daddy Warbucks as played by Nathaniel Currie. They were the heart and soul of the show.

Kelly was note perfect as the red-haired moppet, sang “Tomorrow” with conviction, and brought some sparkle to “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” and “A New Deal For Christmas”.

Currie as Warbucks was not so much curmudgeonly as stern with a warm attitude. He brought feeling to “Something Was Missing”, one of the score’s most affecting songs, and also got to sing “Why Should I Change a Thing”, a song that was originally written for Anthony Warlow for the 2000 Australian production. It helped give more flesh to the Warbucks character and his feelings, was a worthy addition to the score, and Currie made the most of it.

Lisa Mellor was blowsy and vulgar as the hard-hearted Miss Hannigan whilst Darcy Rhodes and Ellen Axford brought OTT life to the scheming rogues Rooster and Lily. All three easily filled the stage in a stylish routine by Julianne Burke for “Easy Street”.

Abby Page was a super Grace, singing and moving well, especially in N.Y.C, whilst Neil Ballment scored kudos as the wheelchair-bound President Roosevelt. Others to be noticed were Ron Carr (Drake), Chris Crane (Bert Healey), Jorgia Munroe (Star to Be), and of course Bella as Sandy, Annie’s lovable pooch.

Good sets were enhanced by Gerard Livsey’s B&W period video projections, costumes reflected the 30s era, with Page looking particularly radiant as Grace in some fetching couture, whilst Trenton Dunstan’s band was the best I’ve ever heard for a QMT production. They shone throughout with terrific brass and wind work on the “Overture” and “Entr-Acte”.

Deian Ping’s direction was smooth, although some scene changes could have been speedier. The kids were great in “Hard Knock Life”, the chorus had their moment on “I’d Like To Thank You Herbert Hoover” and the tap dancing showgirls in N.Y.C. were exhilarating.

The audience went home happy and so did I.

Peter Pinne