There is a delicate art to staging a musical that is older than half its audience without letting it smell of theatrical mothballs!
Thankfully, the new UK tour of Annie, which descended upon the Theatre Royal Plymouth on the 22nd of June 2026, manages to shake off the dust and deliver an evening of pure, high fructose joy. The overall vibe? An infectious blend of Great Depression grit and unapologetic showbiz glitter!
A massive nod must go to the production’s remarkably realistic staging. Rather than relying on flat, cartoonish backdrops, the set design feels tangible, immersive, and properly dingy where it counts. This atmospheric grit makes the stark contrast with the opulent, billionaire lifestyle of Oliver Warbucks all the more effective.
But a realistic set is nothing without a stellar cast to inhabit it, and Plymouth was treated to a masterclass in pint-sized powerhouse performance. Taking center stage, Sophia Saravanan played Annie with absolute brilliance. Saravanan completely commands the theatre with a vocal maturity that belies her years, guiding the narrative with just the right amount of pluck without ever veering into overly saccharine territory.
Of course, the high energy orphan anthems are the lifeblood of this show, and the absolute standout of the evening was “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.” Performed with razor-sharp choreography and an infectious enthusiasm by the young ensemble, the musical number was a brilliant, tap-dancing explosion of talent that practically blew the roof off the auditorium.
Providing the perfect comedic foil to Annie’s relentless sunshine was the tyrannical Miss Hannigan, played by drag sensation La Voix. She was funny throughout the entire production, turning a traditionally loathsome villain into a delightfully chaotic, gin soaked force of nature every time she staggered across the stage. However, even La Voix found herself upstaged in the cuteness department by Dizzy, a cute dog playing Sandy, who effortlessly melted the audience’s hearts with a single wag of his tail.
By the time the final notes of the evening rang out, the Plymouth crowd didn’t just polite clap they erupted. The evening concluded with a thoroughly deserved, roaring standing ovation. It turns out the old song is right: you’re never fully dressed without a smile, and thanks to this triumphant production, nobody left the Theatre Royal without one.
Review by Suzi Kiely #OnePlymouth
