Annie

Annie
By Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. MLOC Productions. Director: Lucy Nicolson. Musical Director: Geoff Earle. Choreographer: Leah Osburn. November 4 – 13.

If it wasn’t for the kids Annie would not survive. This is one of the few musicals with a large cast of kids, and they get all the good songs. The adults have songs which are difficult to pull off and some scenes are not well written.

This opinion was confirmed by the MLOC production. The company made the best of an unfriendly theatre and the kids shone. Olivia Jozsa was a confident, endearing Annie with a strong, clear, attractive voice. She was well supported by the other orphans, whose chorus singing was tight and the choreography strong. I was surprised that at least a third of them managed some impressive tap dancing.

I have seen several amateur productions and never found a Daddy Warbucks who can handle the unfriendly music. It sits high, does not flow, and so needs an exceptional singer. Simon Fitzgerald has a good voice, but struggled with the high tessitura. He played an aggressive businessman, but missed the tenderness which must be part of this difficult role.

Susie McCann was very good as Grace and Kevin Seerup an excellent President Roosevelt. James Robertson made the most of his short stint as Bert Healy, while John Davidson was an appropriate over-the-top Rooster.

Sally Fleming worked hard as Miss Hannigan, another difficult role, but didn’t have the Broadway Belt voice required. The small band was impressive and the sound generally good, though sometimes the band overpowered.

Graham Ford

***

MLOC defied the old stereotype, working with kids and animals to produce the popular musical Annie, with alternating casts of 20 children and a dog on stage in each performance.

They presented a smooth running production of the comic strip story of an orphan girl living selected from an orphanage to visit a Billionaire’s home for Christmas

They’re possibly right in saying don’t work with children and animals. The opening night team of children did a wonderful job; in some scenes they did a better job than the adult ensemble.

Opening night Annie was Victoria Kirby, who has a pleasing stage personality, working well with the rest of the cast and particularly with Simon Fitzgerald (Daddy Warbucks). Fitzgerald projects well, and has a good stage personality. The pair had a great rapport.

Daddy Warbuck’s secretary Grace was given a great interpretation by Susie McCann. McCann caught the essence of the character, projects well and added to the sense of the evening.

Orphanage manager Miss Hannigan was given a good and comic performance by Sally Fleming, who worked well with the children, determined to get up to all kinds of tricks.

John Davidson’s Rooster was appropriately over the top, without overdoing it. Clare Zielinski impressed as his brassy blonde girlfriend Lily.

A stand out performance was given by eight year old Claudia Levey; a remarkably mature performance from a young lady with good stage presentation and a great future on stage. Peronel Taylor also impressed as another orphan, Molly.

As for animals and children, the children gave excellent performances, while Sandy the dog behaved himself and didn’t miss a cue.

Peter Kemp

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