The Stratford Festival Theatre Review: Annie and Ann of Green Gables
By Ross
We went into each, hesitatingly, thinking these two shows would be strictly just ‘cute’. And probably well done, but not much more than that. I tend to shy away from these family-focused types of summer festival shows, and these two fit that bill. But boy, oh boy, oh boy, (something I could hear either of these two red heads saying to me) would I have missed out on the finest productions to take over the two main stages at the Stratford Festival. It would have been a damn shame, as both; the hopeful sweet musical Annie and the shockingly good Anne of Green Gables, were utterly spectacular, flooring me with their solid craftmenship, excellent production values, and exceedingly entertaining and creative delivery, as well as some of the strongest half-pint (and full-pint) performances of the summer season.
Annie, magnificently portrayed by Harper Rae Asch (Wavestage’s White Christmas), doesn’t disappoint from the moment we lay eyes on that red mop of hair and breathe in her optimistic “Maybe” outlook on the vast Festival Stage. Singing astoundingly about their “Hard Knock Life,” these orphans; Cydnee Abbott (Pepper); Evonny Harker (Clara); Harmony Holder (Molly); Isla Horner (July); Sofia Grace Otta (Duffy); Olivia Padfield (Audrey); Jessica Reddy (Kate); and Addison Wagman (Tesse), excel, singing and dancing brilliantly about the miserable life they find themselves trapped within. Yet, the hope remains, as they hang on to Annie’s “Maybe” and their communal optimism, thanks to the wonderfully drawn depiction of our heroine, Annie.
Directed and choreographed to perfection by Donna Feore (Stratford’s Chicago), with a strong supportive assist from music director Laura Burton (ACT/SF’s Rich and Famous), these young talented actors shine bright in their dirty rags, supplied most delightfully by set and costume designer Michael Gianfrancesco (Stratford’s Macbeth), singing strong against an outlined cityscape delivered strongly by the design team that includes: sound designer Haley Parcher (Kennedy Center’s NINE), projection designer Sean Nieuwenhuis (Broadway’s Dr. Zhivago), and lighting designer Kimberly Purtell (Stratford’s Frankenstein Revived). The visuals sell this story expertly from the moment we see that orphanage front and across all those “NYC” streets, from “Hooverville” to “A New Deal For Christmas“.
Swinging herself out, headached hungover, and all, is their orphanage keeper, the deplorable Miss Hannigan, deliciously embodied by Laura Condlln (Stratford’s Twelfth Night). “It’s medicine,” she flatly and hilariously states as she guzzles down some hair of the dog, spoken unconvincingly to a room full of her orphaned “brats”, with the “Little Girls” responding, perfect in pitch and edge, “you must be very sick, Miss Hannigan!” And a smile comes over our face (if it wasn’t there already), steadfastly remaining until the final scene. We couldn’t be more happily content in the unmistakable, unmissable production of Annie, especially when the gorgeous Grace Farrell, played glowingly by Jennifer Rider-Shaw (Stratford’s Spamalot), twists the frustrated Miss Hannigan into knots, like an expert balloon artist. She fantastically forces her hand in ‘allowing’ her to rescue the wide-eyed Annie and rush her away from the orphanage into the surprised hands of Oliver Warbucks, lovingly played by an excellent non-bald Dan Chameroy (Stratford’s The Diviners).
“I thought orphans are boys?” he states to the steady Miss Farrell (one of the many parallels to the soon-to-be discussed Anne of Green Gables playing strong at the Festival‘s Avon Theatre). That is before his heart quickly melts into the outstretched hand of Asch’s Annie. As do we, as we are almost tempted to join in with her and her wondrous crew of actors when they sing and dance their way through “I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here,” feeling the same, and wanting this feeling to never go away.
It’s a magnificent showing, this Annie, playing strong and true with that solid book by Thomas Meehan (Elf the Musical), delightful music by Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie), and wise lyrics by Martin Charnin (Mata Hari), even when the dastardly Rooster Hannigan, devilishly well-played by Mark Uhre (Stratford’s Something Rotten!), and his ridiculously grand Lily St. Regis, deviously portrayed by Amanda Lundgren (Stratford’s La Cage Aux Folles), enter into the picture with their perfectly performed “Easy Street” that matches in extreme excellence Condlln’s earlier delivery of “Little Girls“. They, as does the whole production, use the thrust stage to perfection, smuggly delighting in their treacherous plot to get the money from that Billionaire and make Annie, well, disappear. Good golly!
Everyone shines in this ridiculously great production of Annie, even that cute Sandy (Clue) who sorta, almost, steals the show right out from under Asch’s powerfully good rendition of “Tomorrow“, playing it cool and adorable while the crowd endlessly cheers on this near-perfect creation. The cast soars repeatedly, finding gloriousness in their “Fully Dressed” radio broadcast, as well as receiving the presidential seal of approval for their rousing rendition of “Cabinet Tomorrow” by some very skeptical, yet enthusiastic politicians. It’s a never-ending joyfest of vocal deliciousness and energetic engagement. “I Don’t Need Anything..” but another viewing of this superb, unmissable production of Annie, a show that I was sorta dragging my feet in, but dancing my smiling feet out. “Did I hear happiness in here?” Yes, you did, and a whole heap of it.
Up a bit further north (and across the town of Stratford, Ontario), in a small 1890s town on a different island, Prince Edward Island, another man looks at a similar wide-eyed, hopeful orphan and states without thinking, “I thought you were a boy?” He isn’t saying that to hurt the red-haired dynamo who will easily steal his heart before the buggy even gets them home to Green Gables. He, brother Matthew Cuthbert, delivered forth gorgeously by Tim Campbell (Soulpepper’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), was just speaking the truth without thinking. He was told to go into town and pick up the boy orphan who would be waiting for him, as he is no rich Daddy Warbucks and desperately needs help on the farm that he shares, quite equally, with his sister Marilla Cuthbert. Embodied most beautifully by Sarah Dodd (Coal Mine’s Marjorie Prime), this would-be caregiver, who has lived her life as she sees fit, has her doubts about this freckled, outspoken young girl. Their farming apron strings are pulled tight, and they really do need some help to survive. Little did they know that Anne, “with an E“, portrayed magically and magnificently by Caroline Toal (Drayton’s An Inspector Calls), is just what they needed, back then and now.
But I’m getting ahead of myself, as this absolutely delicious Stratford Festival commission and world premiere production of Anne of Green Gables rides forward confidently and inventively. In this new adaptation, as written and directed fantastically by Kat Sandler (Soulpepper’s WILDWOMAN), the tale unwinds itself most gloriously and with a strong creative sense of purpose, taking us through the paces of emerging love, gentle care, and the art of forgiveness. The play, naturally based on the celebrated Canadian novel by author Lucy Maud Montgomery (Chronicles of Avonlea), tells the tale clearly and deeply. Yet, on the Avon Stage, Anne’s story will be told in their own way and in their own time. “We can imagine it bigger,” one says, as the expanding telling starts out small, with some business on the stage between a stage hand and a fussy woman in a long period dress.
It turns out that she is the organizer of the “Anne of Green Gables Fan Book Club“, and it seems we have all gathered together to light up the house with a special reading of this magnificent, well-known tale. Delightfully and dynamically well played by Maev Beaty (Stratford’s Much Ado About Nothing), this woman and the opening of this show sends creative shivers of joy throughout the theatre, especially when the group that gathers around her suggests a different approach to the telling, and with a deep breath of imagination and goodwill, they begin, expanding the concept and delivering with a modern flair into our outstretched hands. Not exactly how the book would have us start, we are told by Beaty, but it’s a beginning that works its spell on us all instantly, and we sit back in delight (and a sense of relief), ready to be swept away like that good man Matthew does almost from the moment he first engages with our Anne.
The cast of fan club members are all phenomenal, taking on roles in this unpacking when needed with glee: Rachel Lynde, portrayed gloriously by Beaty; “Lady” Diana Barry, played perfectly by Julie Lumsden (Shaw’s On the Razzle); Gilbert Blythe, embodied handsomely by Jordin Hall (Stratford’s Grand Magic); Prissy Andrews, played delightfully by Jennifer Villaverde (Stratford’s Les Belles-Soeurs); Josie Pye, deviously well played by Helen Belay (Soulpepper’s King Lear/Queen Goneril); and Jane Andrews, shrewdly portrayed by 郝邦宇 Steven Hao (Tarragon’s Cockroach) who arrives, uninvited but determined to stay and play the roles required, even when questioned. “But I can be the horse?” he states, standing up for his presentation, rightly and with loving determination, and we can’t deny that logic.
The show effortlessly weaves in our time with the fan members and the famous story they are telling, making the whole journey to Green Gables utterly intoxicating and emotionally engaging. I did not read the book, nor did I see any of the versions that made it to the small screen. I was really a blank slate walking into the theatre. I had literally “not read ahead,” finding myself not all that excited about this family-friendly show. Yet, once again, Stratford reminded me how wrong I could be about young persons’ theatre, and this tale of an orphan girl who went to live with two older siblings on a Prince Edward Island farm. Assisted by the fine work of writer/director Sandler, set and costume designer Joanna Yu 余頌恩 (Stratford’s Les Belles-Soeurs), lighting designer Davida Tkach (Soulpepper’s August: Osage County), composer James Smith (Coal Mine’s The Effect), and sound designer Debashis Sinha (Canadian Stage’s Winter Solstice), this telling of Anne of Green Gables is exactly the kind of connective engagement that makes theatre so dynamic and thrilling.
It lives and breathes inside its creativity and gumption, just like our lead heroine. The story is beautiful, fun, and emotionally true, elevated by the artistry of this telling. We stay completely tuned in, as did all the kids around us, surprising our adult selves with its heartfelt tenderness and stellar theatrical storytelling. It’s probably one of my most favorite things I’ve seen on stage so far this year, and once again, I must say, one adult to another, this kid’s show is unmistakably fantastic and completely unmissable. So get yourself to the Stratford Festival and give yourself over to two red-haired orphans who will snatch your heart away, carrying us most lovingly to the island of your choice, Manhattan or Prince Edward. Both are equally magnificent. And both must be seen.
