Theatre Review: Annie at The Bristol Hippodrome

The Show: Annie

Where: Bristol Hippodrome

Dates: Tuesday 18 Aug – Sunday 23 Aug 2026

Timing: 2 hours 30 minutes (including 20 minute interval)

Rating: ★★★★

Bristol Hippodrome once again opens its doors to a much-loved, family, feel-good classic. The wonderful musical Annie has arrived and last night it certainly left the audience wearing a smile from ear to ear! Needing no introduction this well-known story of Annie is one for the whole family.

Some stories never lose their sparkle, and Annie is certainly one of them. This musical is full of big, well known songs and the cast brought lots of energy during the chorus numbers, making them the highlight of the production for me. Hard Knock Life had to be my favourite of the group numbers. The choreography was masterfully carried out by the Children chorus members (Empire Team) and their vocals were powerful and standout throughout the whole musical. I also really enjoyed the adult chorus group numbers which brought back some very fond memories of the not so well known songs in the musical. “We’d like to thank you, Herbert Hoover” had fantastic choreography and costumes which really brought this number to life but were also superb throughout the whole production.

Whilst the musical really shone during the group numbers, I felt that the solo scenes or small group scenes were slightly lacking. At times the acting came across a little forced, I do think that this is in part due to the very classic old style script that the cast are working with but I felt it may have been more emotive if they had chosen to soften some of the line delivery. This is definitely a more personal opinion as it was clear the audience familiar with the original film adaption of Annie in 1982 really loved these elements.

Special mention to Tanisha-Mae Brown who carried so much warmth in her portrayal of Grace Farrell. Whilst the character’s solo vocal moments are limited, she was truly flawless at every opportunity and left me wanting a whole solo song for this character just to witness her full vocal ability. Christian Cooper (Rooster), Amber Kennedy (Lily) and Claire Sweeney (Miss Hannigan) also had the audience captivated in their first performance of “Easy Street” as well as in the reprise. The audience also loved Annie’s four legged friend, Sandy, who was brought to life by Dizzy (trained by Cindy Sharville), who was mostly well behaved and definitely had the audience’s full attention.

Early in the show, there was a small interlude which was left unexplained, this may have been due to some sound issues as just before this the mic’s were cutting in and out, but the cast did really well to recover from the unexpected halt and the audience was quick to forget it even happened. I really liked the lighting and set design throughout the whole show as it really helped draw you in. At times, some flashing lights definitely caught a few audience members by surprise, but this was well perceived.

There’s something wonderfully timeless about a story that can make an audience smile from the moment the curtain rises. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this family classic, head to www.atgtickets.com to book tickets and explore what’s on.

For those wanting an extra special evening out, you can book your early dinner at The Square Club, before heading down Park Street for your evening at the theatre. Guests who are headed to the theatre may also indulge in a complimentary cocktail with their meal as part of The Square Club’s pre-theatre dining offer.

Need to stay the night? The Berkeley Suites offer the ultimate luxury night away, having recently won the Conde-Naste award of excellence.