Review: Annie at Bournemouth Pavilion
Last night we were invited to the opening night of Annie at Bournemouth Pavilion.
It might have been an amateur production by Bournemouth and Boscombe Light Opera Company (BBLOC), but you wouldn’t have known it!
Set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, brave young 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, Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.
With its Tony award-winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs – “It’s the Hard-Knock Life”, “Easy Street”, “I Don’t Need Anything but You” and “Tomorrow” – you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll love it!
BBLOC, is well-known for its successful productions at this theatre of shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the award winning 42nd Street, and most recently, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which we loved earlier this year.
The cast, the set and the orchestra were all amazing. The first of the sets took you back to the dull and dreary 1930’s depression, with an incredible ensemble of girls, making the best of their life in an orphanage. Then in walked Miss Hannigan, the bitter and spiteful headmistress of the orphanage, brilliantly portrayed by Sally Wheeler.
Annie is played by two different young ladies in this production, and on this occasion, we had team Maybe and it was Zanthe Locke, accompanied by loveable Cockapoo Teddy, as Sandy the dog. There are also two different teams of young ladies that play the parts of the other orphans in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage; Rebecca, Sienna, Aniya, Emily, Harper, Freya, Hattie, Bella, Matilda, Alice and Darcy, who were all absolutely amazing with note perfect and incredibly choreographed performances.
We are then introduced to Oliver Warbucks’ kind hearted secretary Grace Farrel, Kayleigh Jones, who chooses Annie to spend Christmas at Oliver Warbucks colourful mansion, where she brings light and fun to this busy workaholic’s home.
Alongside Miss Hannigan, the other exceptional performance of the night came from the millionaire Oliver Warbucks, Jonathan Busk, the self-assured and confident, but with a definitive softer side is spot on in this production. His voice is incredible and I loved how his character bonded with Annie in a bid to find her real parents.
The first half of the musical about 75 minutes, with a 20 minute interval and then a further 60 minutes and I highly recommend it as the time just flew by.
I loved the finale, where everyone joined in with the celebrations after Miss Hannigan and her dastardly brother and his girlfriend, finally got their comeuppance. The entire ensemble fully deserved their standing ovation at the end!
Annie is at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre until 1st November, with tickets starting from £23pp or a family ticket from £85.
Disclaimer: We were guests of Bournemouth Pavilion for the purpose of a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own
