Craig Revel Horwood joins the West End company of Annie

Last night (18 September) Craig Revel Horwood opened in the West End company of Annie; he will be playing the role of Miss Hannigan for the next 10 weeks. Nikolai Foster’s production is booking at the Piccadilly Theatre to 18 February 2018.

Best known on television as a judge on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, Craig Revel Horwood received critical acclaim in Foster’s production of Annie that toured the UK in 2015. During his 10-week run, because of his Strictly Come Dancing commitments, he will not play the role of Miss Hannigan on Saturdays

Revel Horwood said: “I have been so looking forward to my first performance at the Piccadilly Theatre when I join the Annie company to play the wicked Miss Hannigan ahead of my return to the BBC’s Strictly judging panel. Given the opportunity, I wonder how Miss Hannigan would use her conniving ways and devious antics to get her hands on the fab-u-lous Strictly glitter ball!”

Previously in the West End he has performed the role of Munkustrap in Cats, was Dance Captain in Miss Saigon and played the role of Harry in Crazy for You. His production of Son of a Preacher Man opened in Bromley in this month before embarking on an extensive UK tour.

The Annie West End company also includes Alex Bourne as Daddy Warbucks, Holly Dale Spencer as Grace Farrell, Jonny Fines as Rooster and Djalenga Scott as Lily.

The title role of Annie is shared by Madeleine Haynes, 13 years old from Hadley Wood, Barnet; Lola Moxom, 12 years old from Rochester, Kent; and Ruby Stokes, 12 years old from Hampshire.

They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the girls in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Amber, a 4-year-old Labradoodle, plays Annie’s dog Sandy.

Completing the company are Russell Wilcox, Bobby Delaney, Keisha Atwell, Sophie Ayers, Nic Gibney, Patrick Harper, Ben Harrold, George Ioannides, Megan Louch, Benjamin Mundy, Ben Oliver, Heather Scott-Martin, Anne Smith, Kate Somerset How and Katie Warsop.

Previously, Miranda Hart played the role of Miss Hannigan in the West End production.

Annie has a book by Thomas Meehan, adapted from the comic strip Little Orphan Annie, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin.

The West End production has sets and costumes designed by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Richard Brooker and orchestration and musical direction by George Dyer.

Foster’s production arrived in the West End 40 years after the original Broadway production opened in 1977 and received seven Tony awards including the Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

The last West End production of Annie opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1998. In 1982, the show was adapted for the big screen, directed by John Huston with a cast including Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters and Albert Finney. In 2014 a further feature film was released, directed by Will Gluck, with a cast including Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx.

Tickets for Annie are available HERE.