Review Annie The Musical, The Palace Manchester 2026 Tour
Annie is one of my all-time favourite musical films. I grew up watching the 1982 version and still know most of the songs by heart, so I was excited to finally see the stage production again.
This time I was joined by my 13-year-old daughter, my mum and my mother-in-law, making it a real family theatre trip. In fact, my mum had taken my daughter to see the previous touring production of Annie, so it was interesting to compare the two. The verdict from both of them? This latest production was even better.
For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Annie follows a young orphan living under the care of the less-than-loving Miss Hannigan in 1930s New York. When she is invited to spend Christmas with billionaire Oliver Warbucks, her future suddenly looks much brighter. However, Miss Hannigan and her scheming brother Rooster have other plans.
Fans of the film will be pleased to know that the musical stays true to the story everyone knows and loves, whilst adding a few surprises of its own along the way.
One thing I really liked was how the show began before the official start. As we took our seats, the orphanage dormitory was already on stage with the children settling into bed while Annie quietly cleaned around them. It immediately drew the audience into the story.
My daughter was completely captivated from that moment, scanning the stage trying to work out which one was Annie. Thankfully she didn’t have long to wait.
The performances
The role of Annie is shared between several young performers on the tour, with Victoria Alsina taking on the role on the evening we attended.
She captured everything that makes Annie such a lovable character – the cheekiness, determination, vulnerability and optimism that has made her a favourite for generations. Of course, Annie is known for her beautiful singing voice and Victoria more than did the role justice. Her rendition of Tomorrow was particularly moving and one of those moments where the audience seemed completely absorbed in what was happening on stage.
It was no surprise to see her receive a huge ovation during the finale.
A special mention also has to go to Jemima Lown as Molly, Annie’s youngest friend, who quickly became my daughter’s favourite character of the evening. Every time she appeared on stage there seemed to be an audible “aww” from sections of the audience and it’s easy to see why.
In fact, all of the children in the cast were exceptional. It’s easy to forget just how young many of them are when you see the level of professionalism, confidence and talent on display. The chemistry between the orphans felt completely natural and numbers such as It’s the Hard-Knock Life were packed with energy.
My daughter, mum and mother-in-law all agreed that the children were one of the highlights of the evening.
The headline name for many theatre-goers will be La Voix as Miss Hannigan, and she is an absolute delight. Rather than playing the character as simply cruel, she leans heavily into the comedy, creating a version of Miss Hannigan that had the audience laughing from her very first appearance.
Her physical comedy is excellent and she delivers some wonderfully timed one-liners throughout the show.
Christian Cooper as Rooster and Amber Kennedy as Lily St. Regis are equally entertaining. Together they bring plenty of chaos and comedy whenever they appear on stage, with Easy Street proving to be one of the standout numbers.
Sam Holdsworth delivers a warm and engaging performance as Oliver Warbucks. As the story progresses, his growing relationship with Annie provides much of the show’s emotional heart, and he handles that transformation beautifully.
Jessica Daley is equally impressive as Grace Farrell. Warm, caring and instantly likeable, she provides a wonderful contrast to some of the larger personalities around her and helps create some genuinely touching moments throughout the show.
Another aspect that impressed me was the work of the ensemble. Throughout the evening they seamlessly moved between numerous roles, helping bring New York to life. Whether appearing as servants, city residents, radio performers or members of the Warbucks household, they brought huge energy to every scene and helped keep the pace moving throughout.
Of course, no review of Annie would be complete without mentioning Sandy.
The role was played by Dizzy the Cockapoo on the evening we attended and she was an instant hit with the audience. Every appearance was met with smiles and delighted reactions, and her bond with Victoria Alsina was lovely to watch.
Final Thoughts
Annie is one of those timeless musicals that continues to charm audiences of all ages, and this touring production does a fantastic job of capturing everything people love about the story.
Filled with memorable songs, strong performances and plenty of heart, it was a joy to watch from start to finish.
Having three generations of our family at the theatre made this feel even more special, and the fact that both my mum and daughter preferred this production to the previous tour says a lot about just how strong this cast and production are.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly theatre trip in Manchester, Annie is a wonderful choice. Just be warned – you’ll almost certainly find yourself singing Tomorrow and It’s the Hard-Knock Life for days afterwards.
Annie is showing at the Palace Theatre Manchester until Saturday 20th June.
To book >>> Annie The Musical Palace Theatre Manchester
Discover More >>> Family Theatre Shows In Manchester
