These Theatre Thoughts

Little girls, little girls… Miss Hannigan’s desperate refrain rings through the hallways of the New York Municipal Orphanage and echoes with pathos and despair… No, wait. That’s not right. Miss Hannigan’s the baddie, and she’s mean and cruel and those little girls are the ones in despair in this sparkling, slick, engaging production of Annie at The Orchard Theatre. The reason I almost forgot who was good and who was bad in this show was that Craig Revel Horwood’s portrayal of the tyrannical Miss Hannigan was a masterpiece, combining some truly impressive singing with some excellent dancing, along with the ability to act whilst tottering around in heels. So good was he at all of this combined that the audience instantly fell in love with Miss Hannigan, despite knowing that she was wicked. And Craig certainly stole the show – every time he appeared the audience were right there with him, excited for the next one liner, booming baritone, or expressive gesture that would give them a giggle...