REVIEW:Annie at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Annie 

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 8 August 2026

The vibrant energy of Broadway has officially arrived in Tyneside with the latest UK tour of Annie, currently gracing the historic stage of Newcastle Theatre Royal. Audiences are welcomed into a meticulously staged production that balances nostalgic charm with fresh theatrical vigour. The show offers local theatre lovers a polished, heart-warming evening of entertainment that captures the spirit of classic musical theatre while remaining thoroughly accessible and engaging for contemporary viewers of all ages.

The roots of Annie stretch back to Harold Gray’s famous 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie, which captured the imaginations of millions during the Great Depression. Decades later, composer Charles Strouse, lyricist Martin Charnin, and book writer Thomas Meehan transformed the beloved strip into a musical masterpiece. Premiering on Broadway in 1977, the show earned seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and established itself as an enduring classic. The original West End production debuted in 1978, paving the way for numerous revivals and touring companies across the globe. 

This current tour marks a compelling continuation of that legacy, delivering the iconic UK adaptation to venues nationwide and giving a new generation of theatregoers the chance to experience its timeless magic.

Set in 1930s New York City amidst the hardship of the Great Depression, the story opens inside the grim walls of a Municipal Young Ladies Orphanage. The audience are introduced to eleven-year-old Annie, a resilient and relentlessly optimistic young girl who refuses to give up hope that her parents will one day return for her. Her boundless optimism stands in sharp contrast to the harsh, vodka-fuelled regime of Miss Hannigan, the bitter matron who oversees the orphanage with an iron fist. As the opening scenes unfold, Annie attempts a daring escape to find her family, setting off a chain of events that leads her to cross paths with a friendly stray dog named Sandy and eventually catches the attention of Grace Farrell, private secretary to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks.

The adult cast delivers remarkable performances grounded in sharp comedic timing and unwavering conviction. Claire Sweeney brings a delightfully menacing and yet comedic energy to the role of Miss Hannigan, blending theatrical villainy with precise physical comedy, though it occasionally got hammy but I guess that goes with the role. Alex Bourne commands the stage as the formidable yet warm-hearted Oliver Warbucks, portraying his character's gradual emotional transformation with genuine authenticity. Christian Cooper and Amber Kennedy inject fantastic comedic flair as the scheming duo Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis, whose lively antics and villainous charisma provide some of the evening's most hilarious highlights.

Meanwhile, Tanisha-Mae Brown shines as Grace Farrell, delivering a warm, poised, and polished performance that ties the narrative together. Carl Sanderson brings warmth and dignity to his dual roles as LT Ward and President Franklin Roosevelt, while the hard-working ensemble and swings seamlessly bring the bustling streets and grand mansions of 1930s New York to life.

Now is time for a confession. This is the first time that I've seen Annie. I've not seen the film either. Don't get me wrong - I knew a handful of songs from the show, and roughly what it is about, but I had never seen it before. I'll be honest that I struggled at the start. Perhaps I'm getting old but the loud belting of the songs whilst trying to maintain a New York accent meant that I was struggling to make out some lyrics or dialogue.  I could work out what was going on but I did miss out some sections of conversation. Having said that it did seem to improve later on. Don't get me wrong - the kids are genuinely highly talented and confidently act, sing and bounce around the set but clearly that have been directed to blast it out with gusto.

Having said that, the younger performers display an impressive degree of discipline, enthusiasm, and comedic precision that matches their adult counterparts. June Young takes on the title role of Annie with remarkable confidence and stage presence, carrying the core emotional weight of the show with remarkable ease. Supported, on the night we saw it, by the exceptionally talented "Rockefeller Team", including Myla Park as Kate, Blossom Rolston-Williams as July, Mollie Moran as Molly, Rachelle Bonfield-Bell as Duffy, Anna Deikalo as Pepper, and Khit Thakhin as Tessie, the young ensemble delivers energetic group numbers with remarkable synchronization. 

While grounded in the real-world historical backdrop of the Great Depression, the story remains thoroughly entertaining throughout its run. The narrative maintains a swift, brisk pace that keeps the audience fully engaged from start to finish. Central to this momentum is the score, featuring timeless classics like Tomorrow, It's the Hard-Knock Life, and Easy Street. Far from being simple musical interludes, these songs actively propel the exposition forward, deepening character motivations and driving the plot toward its triumphant resolution without ever losing theatrical steam. No wonder I knew the songs even though it was my first time watch the show.

The movement, and dancing, on stage looks effortless but that is only because it is so tightly timed. They cast fill the stage and convey that sense of energy. If you look closely at the action you'll spot one of the children move a cast to the spot that, in the next movement, it is picked up by an adult and removed from the stage. Now this might not sound like much but it was typical to see props flow off and off stage, without a break in the action, using a number of people. On that note, it was nice to see those backstage given a change to take a bow - they deserve it.

The obvious other element of the show is sandy the dog. Dizzy and Amber share the roles - I don't know which incredibly trained "stray" we hand but the dog was as perfectly timed as the rest of the cast. They won the hearts of the audience, evidenced by the reaction each time it ran across the stage.

A significant portion of the production's success belongs to the live orchestra performing beneath the stage. Led by Musical Director Nick Tudor, the tight, impeccably rehearsed band delivers a rich, vibrant sound that elevates every musical number. From the punchy brass figures in the upbeat ensemble routines to the subtle, delicate accompaniment during quieter solos, the musicians provide a flawless dynamic backbone that perfectly complements the action on stage.

This visiting production of Annie at Newcastle Theatre Royal is a triumph of traditional musical storytelling. The combination of enthusiastic performances, sharp musical direction, and timeless staging creates a pleasant night out for the local community. 

Review: Stephen Oliver

Tickets: www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/annie-2

Box Office: 0191 232 7010

Evenings: 7.30pm

Matinees: Wednesday & Thursday 2pm, Saturday 2.30pm

Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including interval

Please note the production contains strobes, smoke and haze, and confetti bursts on stage

An Audio Described and Captioned performance, with pre-show Touch Tour, takes place on Saturday 8th August at 2.30pm

Tickets start from £23, with prices varying by performance.