In a time when the world feels doomed, there is nothing better than a night of escapism at the theatre; especially to see a production full of warmth, talent and an overriding message of optimism, hope, and love. Annie has arrived in Manchester at just the right time.

The acclaimed production, with original direction from Nikolai Foster, takes Little Orphan Annie, (the iconic red-haired orphan from the 1924 comic strip created by Harold Gray) and brings all the heart and joy you need in a musical. And, let’s face it- you’re never fully dressed without a smile.

Annie lives a life most of us are lucky enough to not even dream about. Left by her parents at a New York orphanage, all she has in her world is mush to eat, chores to complete from the authoritative head of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan, and a longing for her parents to return, bolstered only by a note left and half a silver locket. Annie’s world starts to look up when she is chosen to spend two weeks with billionaire mogul, Mr Warbucks- but does she get the happy ending she deserves? You’ll have to grab a ticket to find out…

Led by the commanding and confident Victoria Alsina as Annie, the ‘Chrysler team’ of orphans bring an infectious energy throughout and give audiences multiple protagonists to root for. A standout professional stage debut from Jemima Lown as Molly brings a raw talent which can often be missed from child performers and grips you from the heartbreaking line, “Santa Claus we never see”.

Drag icon, La Voix brings masses of charisma, comedy and vocal chops to children-hating Miss Hannigan with nods to previous carnations, namely Lily Savage and Carol Burnett, with a touch of Sophia from The Golden Girls. She does this all while making the role truly her own; it’s easily the best performance of this role we’ve seen in a long time. Additionally, Alex Bourne grounds the production as Warbucks with genuine heart and sincerity, while Michaela Stern delivers a rich comedic performance that stands out as a well-developed Mrs Pugh.

Although Colin Richmond’s jigsaw and New York skyline set design is visually appealing and leaves room to transport the audience to various locations, where the production sadly falters is the occasional lack of pizazz in what should be show-stopping numbers like “N.Y.C.” and “Easy Street”- though the latter is made up for the reprise where Ben Cracknell’s lighting design does some serious heavy lifting. “Easy Street”, which is usually the audience’s opportunity to squirm in their seats at the malice of villains Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily St. Regis, falls slightly flat due to a lack of menace, only saved by La Voix’s physical comedy. Additionally, the mix and sounds levels were off throughout and were the audio equivalent of a Dulux colour chart, with missed cues or scenes that resulted in screeching- hopefully Annie’s dog Sandy (played by the adorable cockerpoo Dizzy) was distracted by treats. For those susceptible to loud noises, I recommend taking your Loop earbuds, not an AD. That said, classics like ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ and ‘You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile’ leap off the stage with energy in abundance.

Without a doubt, this production is a guaranteed joyous evening for all the family and ends with a curtain call that will stay with you for years to come, with the orphans conducting the audience to a sing-a-long of “Tomorrow”, showing the lasting cultural mark this truly iconic score and story has left on so many generations.

Annie plays at Manchester’s Palace Theatre until Saturday 20th June. Further information and booking details can be found here.

Tickets received in exchange for an honest review. #AD

Photography courtesy of the production.