Annie

“The sun’ll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun …”

Actually I have no idea if it will be sunny tomorrow but I’ve decided to share in Annie’s optimism that the school holidays will grant us some good weather.

Otherwise it will be dvds all round.

I highly doubt the Annie dvd will be available though on the tail of the wonderful musical in Auckland last week. It was grand.

With the opening of the first scene I was disappointed – it sounded like the voices had been pre-recorded and the actresses were merely miming. But no, it was just our young home-grown Auckland ‘orphans’ giving the rest of the international cast a run for their money with their perfected and well-delivered accents.

When Annie belted out Tomorrow in the opening scene with such slow and controlled clarity it sent shivers down the spine.

I took part in my first musical show through the Whangarei Theatre Company several years ago and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.

It was Miss Five’s debut into the musical world (as an audience) and I kept casting glances her way.

“Mum are they real?” she asked, seconds into the show.

And then Sandy, the dog ran out.

“Is he real too?” she wanted to know.

In the lead up to the show she’d been watching the movie and reading my childhood glossy-page hardback Annie book. She knew the storyline inside-out so it was a little confusing when a blond (as opposed a red-head) Miss Hannigan drunkenly stumbled onto the stage. Likewise, with other changes that needed to be made to adapt to the stage version but once we got used to these, Miss Hannigan, in particular, became quite likeable.

Then there were the stage show additions such as Miss Hannigan’s line: “Gee, what is it about that Annie girl – next they’ll be making a musical about her!” which drew much laughter.

Although his appearances were few and far between, compared with the film, Sandy was the star of the show and the last to make his curtain call. Molly, the cute-as-a-button seven-year-old actress orphan was also a little star.

Other highlights were renditions of Hard Knock Life, You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile and the dancing.

Annie paraphernalia was flying off the shelves at the interval and after the show and I would say there will be a few little girls flaunting the Ronald McDonald-look-a-like wigs this week.

There will, no doubt, be a number of wanna-be actresses signing up at their local drama schools or theatres too.

I’m not sure if it had that effect on my shy little girl but I’m determined to work on her.