'I love you Miss Hannigan': Miranda Hart plays the less than homely orphanage mistress in a lively revival of Annie the Musical.
Filling the stage when Jersey Boys leave sthe Piccadilly Theatre, Annie brings the rags to riches tale of a plucky young redhead back to London - and it's bound to be a crowd-pleaser and a favourite for families.
The beloved musical, based on comic strip Little Orphan Annie, is set in 1930s Despression Era America and packed with infectiously chipper songs including 'You're never fully dressed without a smile'
Hart, who is a household name thanks to her eponymous BBC sitcom Miranda, will play Miss Hannigan, the orphanage mistress who sings with derision about the little girls in her charge: 'Some day I'll step on their freckles/ Some night I'll straighten their curls'. It's a delightfully droll part for Hart, with plenty of comedic potential.
She describes Miss Hannigan as her "dream role...I hope people will leave the theatre feeling life is a little better and dreamier and jollier after watching it".
And jolliness is highly likely. Because, of course, the hard-knock life of Miss Hannigan's orphanage is just the beginning of Annie's story and, to quote the kid herself, the sun will come out tomorrow.
We recommend for children ages 6+
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