This musical first appeared on the Broadway stage in 1977. Annie has since become a classic and has evolved over the years into a feelgood production. Of course, something like this can always go wrong. That is certainly not the case here.
Backstage Producties presents a gem, everything is spot on: a top cast, music, sets, costumes, choreography. Each element merges into a heartwarming whole. A production that takes the audience back to the bustling New York of the 1930s with a sober yet ingenious set. What's also so nice: it's an intergenerational production in which young and old excel.
The opening of the performance is playful and sets the tone immediately: a bunch of children dressed in rags come noisily walking into the auditorium and crawl unabashedly under the front curtain. When the curtain rises, you find yourself in the bleak dormitory of an orphanage.
Director Jaak Lema knew how to get everything just right: some bitterness and some sweetness, the sad sight of poverty next to the exuberantly colorful interior of magnate Oliver Warbucks, quiet moments next to dynamic ones, stinginess versus generosity. There is a nice variety with group singing, only the children or the ensemble, a few men or women and then of course the beautiful solos.
The psychological portraits are strongly sketched: there is the mean directress of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan, who likes the bottle a bit too much, fantastically portrayed by Tine Embrechts. Not subtle comic fraying, but not overdone either. It is dancing on a slack rope but she remains perfectly balanced. She nails the drunk directress, staying elegant yet in a slovenly version. Constantly under the influence, in a light haze, she walks unsteadily on her feet. A disillusioned woman and heartless wretch. In her life there is little room for warmth or affection anymore. Her only distraction is listening to romantic radio plays. Tine Embrechts commands the stage. Her portrayal is hilarious, her singing and dancing impressive.
The charming Annie, charmingly portrayed by Elise Lagrou, is no scaredy-cat but a daredevil. As a foundling, she ended up in the orphanage run by Miss Hannigan. Luxury or warmth are far to seek. Among the children there is great camaraderie. Their empathy, singing, dancing and playfulness is heartwarming. Poverty is about so much more than not having money, no access to knowledge and school, different social classes… Annie wants to get out from under Miss Hannigan's tyranny, with the help of her friends she can escape. She takes care of a stray dog. Her escape attempt and search for her parents fail. She is caught by a policeman and handed back to Miss Hannigan. But then the tide turns.
The secretary of Oliver Warbucks, Grace Farell, is looking for an orphan to spend the Christmas period with the wealthy businessman. He wants to share his wealth with someone less fortunate. Coincidentally, Annie is in Miss Hannigan's office. A kind of instant sympathy develops between her and the secretary, expressed in a gentle way by Free Souffriau. The glamorous world she enters is completely new to Annie. She also experiences the security of warm and loving arms around her. Annie is disarming, not rancorous, but loving. Half of a locket and a newspaper clipping of her parents looking for her keep her going.
Gradually a special bond grows between the older man and Annie, especially since there are parallels with his own life. From orphan to billionaire: the American dream. Amid all the hustle and intensity, Lucas Van den Eynde, with his deep, warm timbre, provides soothing moments. He wants to adopt her. Despite all the comfort, Annie keeps dreaming of a reunion with her biological parents. She is helped in this endeavor in an altruistic way by Oliver Warbucks, who offers a large reward to find them. Even the President of America, Roosevelt, is enlisted. The hypocritical facades and double morality of Miss Hannigan and her brother are torn down at the end. The young actress Elise Lagrou sings in perfect pitch and full of charm the iconic numbers 'Tomorrow' and 'Hard Knock Life'.
The actors sketch the characters and their nature with razor sharpness. All's well that ends well. This family musical… A must see.
