The smash-hit West End production of Annie, the world’s favourite family musical, returns to Manchester!
The iconic musical is based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, which was inspired by the poem Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcombe Riley – which was, itself, inspired by the real-life orphan Mary Alice “Allie” Smith. The poem was originally called The Elf Child and retitled Little Orphant Allie but a typesetting error resulted in Annie – and the rest is history!
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family…
Miss Hannigan is played by formidable Strictly judge, musical theatre star and former drag queen Craig Revel Horwood. He previously played the iconic villainess on tour in 2015 and 2019 and in the West End in 2017. In this tour, he has shared the role with the late, great Paul O’Grady MBE DL, Elaine C Smith, and Jodie Prenger. Currently, the tour is led by Revel Horwood on weekdays and Prenger on Saturdays (and one Friday) because Revel Horwood is filming Strictly on Saturdays!
Prenger is remembered for winning both The Biggest Loser and I’d Do Anything, the latter propelling her into musical theatre stardom, before hitting Corrie‘s cobbles!
With its Tony ward-winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs ‘It’s The Hard-Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’, and, of course, ‘Tomorrow’, you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll love it!
Annie runs at Opera House Manchester from 18th to 30th September and tours the UK until 25th November. Craig Revel Horwood plays Miss Hannigan on all weekday performances except Friday 3rd November at the Grand Opera House, Belfast, which will be led by Jodie Prenger, who also leads all Saturday performances.
JADAR 