Few musicals have consistently captured the hearts and minds of people of all ages in quite the way that Annie has.

Featuring many well-known songs, including You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile, Maybe, and Tomorrow, the show’s enduring popularity has seen it enjoy numerous West End runs and UK tours.

For those not already familiar with the hit musical, Annie tells a heartwarming tale about a determined and stoically optimistic 11-year-old girl, who lives in the municipal girls orphanage in New York during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Unlike most of the residents, Annie believes her parents are still alive and will one day return to reclaim her.

The story was originally based on a 1924 comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, by Harold Gray. The Broadway production opened in 1977, premiering in the West End the following year. It won seven Tony Awards, including best musical.

Annie and the orphans have a pretty miserable existence. Their rowdy opening number, It’s The Hard Knock Life, captures the attention immediately. The catchy melody and accompanying dynamic choreography gives each young actor the opportunity to steal the show from the outset. The performers are clearly having the time of their lives, portraying the orphans’ rebelliousness and sass with infectious enthusiasm.

The tyrannical and wickedly unpleasant orphanage matron, Miss Hannigan, hates children (especially Little Girls!) and tends to tackle her woes by liberally self-medicating with alcohol. She is wonderfully portrayed by the charmingly funny La Voix. Well known from her appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK and Britain’s Got Talent, the much-loved drag icon brings a unique combination of energy, style, flair and excitement to the role. Indeed, she actually makes you laugh so much it becomes darn near impossible to dislike the character she’s playing, no matter how villainness Miss Hannigan is!

Also impressive in the show is Christian Cooper - who plays Miss Hannigan’s ne’er-do-well brother, Rooster - and Amber Kennedy - his good-for-nothing floozy girlfriend, Lily. The choreography, vocals and spot-on comic timing between the three villains during Easy Street is pure magic.

Annie’s life changes when she is chosen by Grace (Tanisha Mae-Brown), the charming secretary of legendary billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Alex Bourne), to spend Christmas at the Warbucks mansion. Annie quickly wins Mr Warbucks’ heart, and he offers a huge reward to anybody who can provide information about the little girl’s parents. But his offer attracts the attention of unscrupulous individuals, including Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily. Between them, the trio hatch a plan to kidnap Annie and keep the reward money for themselves...

Ultimately, it transpires that Annie’s parents are in fact dead, making her an orphan after all. With the truth out, and having been rescued from the dastardly Miss Hannigan’s clutches, Annie is adopted by Oliver Warbucks, who has also fallen for the undoubted charms of his secretary - a fact which finally provides Annie with the family life she has always dreamed of.

Whether you’re like me - a long-term fan of Annie The Musical - or like my theatre companion - who was last night seeing the show for the very first time - you will head for home feeling cheerful and uplifted, the songs playing like earworms in your brain.

This is the ultimate feelgood family musical, so catch it in Birmingham while you can. A wonderfully memorable night at the theatre awaits...

Five stars

Annie was reviewed by Sue Hull on Tuesday 2 June at The Alexandra, Birmingham, where it shows until Saturday 6 June. The tour returns to the Midlands next February, at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, with Claire Sweeney taking the role of Miss Hannigan.