Performance Date – 2 November 2012 

What do we want from an evening of musical theatre when we set off to take in a campy piece of fluff from the early 80’s? Escape, entertainment, energy… A myriad of words could describe the answer to that question yet in the current revival of the “hit” musical, Annie, those answers are not going to readily float to the forefront your mind. It seems that the artistic staff of this scaled-down 35 year old gem is relying more on the audience’s ability to transcend the years and remember a simpler time, one in which this show was originally performed, rather than actually taking the audience on that journey through storytelling.

There are, however, some fantastic performances by this rather small cast. Lilla Crawford, for one, in the role of the title character sings through the challenging score with the greatest of ease. Her stage presence is irresistible and she captures the wide-eyed optimism of the show’s anthem with the perfection that only a child actress can. “Tomorrow, you’re only a day away” after all. Her interaction with Sandy is memorable and adorable at the same time and her relationship with Daddy Warbucks (Anthony Warlow) is well developed even for a show like this. Some of her dramatic work in the scene where she refuses to believe that her parents are truly gone is a bit hard to swallow, but, hey… the rest of her performance is so honest and awe-inspired that we choose to forgive and forget. Anthony Warlow, is blissful perfection as the crass, loud-mouthed Warbucks. His ability to capture the audience’s attention amid the distractions of all that this show has to offer (the proverbial, nothing worse that working with children or animals on stage…) is truly some of the best work in this production. His vocals are sweet and fluid, his acting ability is at the top of the game and his arc throughout this story is absolutely wonderful to behold. Bravo to the producers for FINALLY bringing this Australian native across the pond to be a part of the New York Theatre scene (it’s his Broadway Debut).  Katie Finneran in the role of the tragically comic Miss Hannigan has to be one of the most anticipated performances in the current season of musicals. She’s great. Truly. That said, this reviewer believes that nothing she brings to the table is earth-shattering or makes one see the character in a new light.  That’s a bit unfortunate, because she is a very talented actress. Part of the problem is that she is truly stunning. She walks onto the stage and one takes her in as a sexy star… whom they have tried to dumb down with frumpy costumes. But she is beautiful. When she is attempting to seduce Mr. Bundles (a dowdy character), you just don’t believe that she has no other options at hand. Her relationship to the small troupe of orphans is believable. She handles the vocals of the role flawlessly and at every step of the way she takes control of the scene and delivers exactly what one would expect to see from an actress of her caliber.

One of the more troubling aspect of this production seems to be it’s lack of funding. 6 orphans, approximately 12 ensemble members and very few moments when the stage actually seems full is only accented by the minimalist scenic design and an over-abundance of over-choreographed scene changes and dance numbers. Yes, Andy Blankenbuehler, you are a very talented individual, but please, don’t over-think this. There are only 12 dancers on stage! Alternately, the costume design, by Susan Hilferty, is truly something to behold. Her pieces shine spectacularly in this production. Capturing both the styles and the rich colors that we associate with this time period in American History while at the same time, throwing in some very distinguished costumes that are so offset by the bleak scenic design they truly burn magically into your memory.

An interesting directorial decision was made with regards to the character of Lily St. Regis. The very talented J. Elaine Marcos is tackling this role and for some reason a choice was made to constrain her speech to a very thick asian accent in the first appearance of the character. In that extremely comedic scene, it truly seems as if Rooster has simply picked her up somewhere, perhaps in Chinatown on the way to the orphanage. But then one gets to thinking… how will they ever pull off the parental deception in Act II with any sort of honesty? That answer comes when the character simply loses the accent altogether and acquires a North American one. Bizarre. Nothing quite as bizarre as the finale where the trio is running loose through Warbucks’ scantily clad mansion with a single police officer chasing after them, only to see them meet their end by tap dancing in handcuffs out the door. To say that the direction of this production is misguided would be an understatement.

If you are to catch this Little piece of musical theatre history, best to do so tomorrow, because it just might disappear shortly after Christmas morning. There is not much chance of “getting a new deal for Christmas” for this production.

Katie Finneran and Lilla Crawford in Annie 2012