Annie musical review: the new Sydney show really is different

It’s a story that’s been done a thousand times, so do we really need another Annie musical? Producer John Frost clearly thinks so as this is his third time producing it for Sydney’s stage.

He produced the 2000 production which toured Australia and the 2013 revival too, both of which starred Anthony Warlow as Warbucks. And guess what? Warlow is back as Warbucks in this latest rendition. So what’s changed? What’s new and why should anyone bother going to see a show we’ve all seen a hundred times before? That’s exactly what I went to find out.

Energetic animated backdrops have been added, along with punchy new dance moves and then there are the dogs…

What’s new about Sydney’s latest Annie musical?

When we went along to the media preview last week, the creative team and cast were emphasising the use of new projections as being the big differentiator for this production. To be candid, I was sceptical. Who really goes to the theatre to see projections? I doubt it’s a deciding factor for anyone when buying tickets.

However, after seeing the show last night I can see why the team were making such a big thing of the digital additions. There is a two-minute introduction that helps wind down the chatter in the audience and brought us into Annie’s New York. This whole sequence probably could have been halved (we found ourselves thinking “okay, come on, get on with it”) but it was an incredibly effective way to introduce both the production and these clever projections.

Throughout the show, animated backdrops add further depth to the already lavish set design, and are even used as a transitional tool. Swirling sequences work behind the moving parts on stage to make it seem as though everything’s magically tumbling into its next form. Consider me convinced by the projections.

Director Karen Johnson Mortimer and choreographer Mitchell Woodcock shared their joint aim to make it a seamless experience and “like the story is just ongoing and you’re not watching something set up for you.” And I have to say, they’ve achieved exactly that. Usually, set changes momentarily pull you out of the narrative as the lights come down and there’s a pause in the story. But I can count the number of times the lights darken in Annie on one hand—and it’s never for more than two or three seconds.

Woodcock’s choreography also plays a key role in the smoothness of the transitions between scenes with actors moving constantly. The dance numbers are refreshing and diverse, from the punchy and dynamic Hard Knock Life to the more poised staging of Think I’m Gonna Like It Here to a traditional 30s Broadway style seen in Easy Street and NYC.

Standout stars

Sure, the projections are impressive and do add a new dynamism to the classic musical, but I think they missed the true differentiator. Whether they were being intentionally obtuse so as not to ruin the surprise, I’m not sure. There’s no doubt though that a truly show-stopping moment comes early in the first act, when all the projections stop and the stage was completely empty.

When Annie escapes the orphanage and runs through New York, a surprise guest runs across the stage. There are two four-legged actors in this cast: Sandy and Bodhi, who both ‘play’ Sandy the dog. Wrapped up in the story, the last thing the audience expects is for a real-life dog to run across the stage. It earns a collective gasp from the entire theatre. And every time one of the ‘actors’ appears on stage, they somewhat steal the show.

Our Annie for the night—there are four actors—was Stephanie McNamara and she also makes an impact from the moment she bursts on to stage. Donning that tell-tale red wig and often appearing with one of the dogs, she’s a star in her own right. The strength of her voice and the conviction of her acting is spectacular.

The old adage says “never work with children or animals” but this revival is a prime example of another famous line: with high risk comes high reward.

Musical legend Anthony Warlow reprises the role of “Daddy” Warbucks for a fourth time (he’s done three shows with John Frost and one on Broadway) and is likely one of the big appeals for audiences, but there were other standouts for me.

Another standout of the evening was Debora Krizak, one of the country’s most critically-acclaimed leading ladies who stars as Miss Hannigan. Most of the laugh-out-loud moments are down to her. Mean-spirited and conniving but funny and ridiculous, it’s impossible not to like her character—and the children in the audience loved her.

Broadway star Amanda Lea Lavergne plays Warbucks’s personal assistant, Grace Farrell. Her vocal range is second to none and the warmth that she brings to the role is exactly what’s needed. It also helps that she has palpable on-stage chemistry with her off-stage partner, Warlow; something that’s necessary for her role, as the line between Grace and Warbucks’s professional and romantic relationship become blurred.

Why bother going?

Sat on the row in front of us was a group of women ranging three generations, with the youngest being no more than seven years old. One of the biggest joys of the evening was seeing the little girl grinning, laughing out loud and even standing up out of eagerness to see more (before remembering where she was and sitting swiftly down, giving us a nervous look)—and even more so, the looks her older relatives gave each other as they watched her experience the show that they’d enjoyed as children too. It was truly heartwarming.

And isn’t that what it’s all about? Annie is a crowd-pleasing musical that all generations can enjoy; that’s why it’s such a classic.

Yes, Frost has produced several revivals of the musical over the past 25 years and to some that will seem overkill. But he put it perfectly when speaking to us last week:

We worked out that possibly every one and a half generations we should revive Annie… it’s a great musical; it’s entertainment, a hundred per cent entertainment—it’s got some great roles in it for actors, singers, dancers and, of course, children. And it’s something for the whole family. It’s very special.

It’s possibly one of the best ways to introduce youngsters to the theatre in Sydney right now. Seeing other children on stage, the sporadic appearances of the dogs and the lack of down-time between scenes all create the perfect recipe for success with young theatregoers.

While I was sceptical going in, having seen the story so many times before, we left with smiles on our faces and, really, what more do you want from a night at the theatre? With the Easter school holidays coming up, it’s arrival couldn’t have been more perfectly time.

FAQs

Where can I see the Annie musical?

The Annie musical is playing at one of Sydney’s most beautiful and historic theatres, the Capitol Theatre in Haymarket. The building has been home to a fruit and flower market, a theatre and even used by a circus for some time before it opened as a theatre in 1928. It’s worth arriving early just to admire the architecture before the show begins.

When is it playing?

The musical has been in previews for a week and officially opens tonight, Thursday April 3, and will play until Friday June 21 2025. Unless it’s extended, of course.

Where can I buy tickets?

Tickets are available from $90 and are bookable until June 21. To buy tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.au or anniemusical.com.au for more information.

How do I get to the theatre?

Capitol Theatre is very centrally located, with nearby train stations, bus stops and lightrail connections. The address is 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000.

By train: Central Station is a short five-minute walk away from the theatre and is serviced by the T1, T2, T3, T4, T7 and T9 lines. Exit at Eddy Avenue and walk across Belmore Park.

By light rail: Alight the L2 or L3 at Chinatown and walk five minutes to the theatre.

By bus: The nearest stops are: Pitt St near Campbell St, Hay St near Pitt St and Pitt St near Eddy Avenue.

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