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Annie Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton **** JUST when the World is battling with an
attack of financial gloom and doom, the happy musical, Annie, breezes
into the Black Country with a message of hope. The story of how little orphan Annie charms a
rich industrialist and inspires an American President and his advisors
during the depression maybe a touch tongue-in-cheek, but the message in
the song, The Sun will Come Out Tomorrow, could be useful today. This is the final UK tour of the show, and it has
attracted large audiences - young and old - to the Grand for a genuine
tonic. Su Pollard, who plays the hard-drinking chief of
a New York orphanage, made her TV debut many years ago on Opportunity
Knocks, when she was runner-up to a singing Jack Russell. This time even Danny, the dog playing Sandy with
some style, couldn't put Su in the shade, and she was a hoot from start
to finish. A terrific performance, too, from David McAlister
as New York billionaire Oliver Warbucks who invites an orphan to spend
Christmas in his mansion, then adopts Annie in a rags to riches tale.
Fine contributions, also, from Simone Craddock (Grace Farrell) and the
three youngsters sharing the role of Annie - Lauren Arnison, Victoria
Sian Lewis and Rachel Hall. To 05.11.11 Paul Marston
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