Review: Annie: The Musical at The Princess Theatre

Review by Greg Gorton

In a cynical world, a cheesy, funny, and oh-so-wholesome musical is just what we need. If you can leave reality at the door and don’t think too hard about the plot, there is a tonne of fun to be had among the singing, the slapstick, the dancing, and (obviously) the dog.

Yes, a real life dog. Sandy (and stand-in Daisy) wowed the audience so much on opening night that the opening night performance of Annie had to be paused for a proper applause. The production was so unprepared for the response that it didn’t realise the adorable canine would steal poor Annie’s spotlight during her first rendition of “Tomorrow”.

Of course, while it is easy to get all sappy for a pooch, even without them the show could only be called a massive hit. The directors obviously had a clear understanding of what the world needed right now, and took every opportunity to make us laugh. Not only were the performers hitting every comic line perfectly, but comedy was found outside of the book. It was there in the silent performances, the double-takes, and even the design.

More importantly, some of the darker, problematic issues around the show were cleverly brushed aside. The police were reminiscent of keystone cops, awkward lines about infanticide or strike-breaking were rushed through as if not existing at all. Most importantly, Anthony Warlow’s Warbucks was a billionaire to empathise with from the beginning.

Of course, Warlow was phenomenal - who would expect anything less from the man who has arguably been the king of the Australian musical for the entirety of this century. What amazes me, though, is how much he didn’t stand out - the entire cast was world class. Debora Krizak’s drunken Miss Hannigan somehow never crosses the line into morose caricature of villainy or patheticness. Amanda Lea LaVergne is a beautiful and heartwarming Miss Farrel. They have cast the perfect set of orphans, including Annie, and the ensemble group of singers and dancers are chameleons as they move from tramps to servants to politicians with ease.

For me, though, the standout performer was Mackenzie Dunn. Dunn has an impeccable sense of comic timing and played the character of Lily St. Regis somewhat less like a complete buffoon and more like Lorelei Lee.

The choreography, by Mitchell Woodcock, was incredible. I doubt even the most critical audience member would find fault in the spectacular “Hard Knock Life”, while I personally think that “Easy Street” was the hands-down best of the adult numbers. While the show stagnated slightly during some songs, I honestly think the production did the best they could with the minor flaws that come with the original musical.

The design of this show, as expected from big budget extravaganzas, was gorgeous. Reminding us that this is a romantic world, the “dirty streets” were still carefully crafted and staged, while the mansion was somehow both over-the-top and classy at the same time. The giant Rodin had me thinking of Batman Forever (of all things), which is a surprisingly comparable offering - otherworldly escapism about a billionaire and a child.

Filmed projections showed us New York or mapped flights ala Indiana Jones,and small little set changes felt like dissolving transitions. The design of this show, however, wasn’t simply aesthetically pleasing. It was also craftily creative, adding so much more narrative detail than one usually sees in such productions. I’d challenge any interested audience member to pay attention to Rooselvelt’s wheelchair, the laundry basket, or the changes to Warbuck’s artistic taste throughout the show. These details are never pointed out, never made a deal of, they simply exist as something more than we deserve.

If there was a (minor) issue to be had about the night, it would be the sound. It felt to me, at least, that there was little range in the volume of the music or performers, leaving the reserved Miss Farrel as loud as Annie herself. Sometimes lines were inaudible or microphones were left off for micro-periods of time. Unfortunately (and this is true of all mic’ed productions) it was also impossible to know which child was speaking to which other child as they chatted with each other.

In 2025, it is hard to believe that Annie: The Musical should be worth seeing. On paper it is a tale of a billionaire who rents kids for the holidays and visits Presidents to break up striking workers.

But by taking us to a romantic world, removed from our own, and filling it with out-of-this-world performances, and adding a little bit of canine therapy, you can step out of our bleak reality and into a magical place for a few hours. Annie: The Musical is a big-stage performance you do not want to miss.

Image Supplied