Review: Annie - Ratoath Musical Society

Society name: Ratoath Musical Society

Show name: Annie

Adjudicator date of attendance: 01/05/2026

“She's not a nice lady!”

The young boy sitting a few rows ahead of me at Ratoath Musical Society's production of ‘Annie’ in the Venue Theatre couldn’t contain his disgust any more. Miss Hannigan's treatment of the orphans had struck a nerve and his spontaneous outburst summed up exactly what live theatre is all about for me. He was totally engrossed and believed everything he was seeing. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day; telling a believable story and affecting an audience. Ratoath Musical Society had clearly done so for this young man. It was an entertaining production, with many highlights and, while there were a few issues that occasionally prevented the show from reaching its full potential, there was plenty for the audience to enjoy as this much-loved story was brought to life.

Front of house ran smoothly on the night I attended. The box office operation appeared to run well, with audience members being dealt with very efficiently. There was a pleasant atmosphere in the foyer which set a positive tone for the evening. A cast member sold raffle tickets at the interval, in character, and this was a nice touch which helped to create a fun and immersive experience.

Sharon McNamara directed with confidence and a good understanding of the show's humour and heart. Her best work was with the very talented younger members of the cast who, from the opening moments of the overture, were full of energy and personality. The relationship between Annie and Warbucks was beautifully portrayed. There was great sensitivity in their scenes and the bond between the two was very natural and heart-warming. There was also some lovely work with the staff in Warbucks’ mansion, where background action was full of purpose without ever becoming distracting. Comedy was very well judged throughout. It is often the smaller details that stand out. Little touches, like Lily helping herself to the pearls in Miss Hannigan's office, only for Hannigan to later retrieve them from Lily's ‘creative’ hiding place, showed great attention to detail and were very funny. Overall, this was a very well-paced show that moved smoothly from scene to scene. The minimalist staging allowed for excellent fluidity, ensuring that the story never lost momentum. Very strong work from Ms. McNamara.

Aisling Rountree's choreography was also at its best when working with the younger members of the cast, who performed some of the most polished and energetic routines of the evening. ‘It's the Hard-Knock Life’ was excellently performed by this very talented group of children. The number was slick, sharp and full of character, with the orphans showing great focus and commitment throughout. Ms. Rountree cleverly tailored her choreography to the abilities of the cast. While the adult ensemble did not always display the same level of polish as the children, she made sure that routines were always achievable. ‘Hooverville’ was a good example of this, with manageable choreography that suited the performers well and a fun kick line adding to the energy to the number. One of the standout routines of the evening was ‘Easy Street’, as choreography was character-driven and allowed the personalities of the three performers to shine through. There was also superb work from the orphans in ‘You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile’, which again showcased the strengths of the younger cast members.

Dave O'Connor led an accomplished eight-piece orchestra that gave strong musical support throughout. Owing to the space restrictions in the Venue Theatre, musicians were positioned underneath the tiered seating. Principal singing was solid throughout and there were some very good ensemble moments too. The orphans had a fabulous sound in ‘It's the Hard-Knock Life’, full of enthusiasm and confidence. The adult ensemble had a spirited sound in ‘Hooverville, and ‘You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile’ was another highlight, with the younger cast members once again producing an excellent vocal performance. There was good work too from the Boylan sisters whose harmony work was well blended and nicely performed. On the evening I attended, there was a handful of musical mishaps that impacted what had otherwise been a solid musical presentation. Most noticeably, the ‘Tomorrow’ encore at the end of the show suffered from a disconnect between cast and the orchestra, creating noticeable uncertainty in what should have been the big musical conclusion. All of that said, it would be unfair to allow these isolated incidents to overshadow the many positive elements. Throughout most of the performance, the orchestra provided excellent support and there were many examples of strong singing too.

Taking on the title role, Grace Carolan gave a most engaging performance as Annie. This is a very demanding role for any young performer, requiring strong vocals and acting ability. Grace rose to that challenge so well. Vocally, she was excellent. Her singing was confident and she showed a lovely understanding of the lyrics throughout. ‘Tomorrow’ was particularly strong, full of sincerity and warmth. Her work with Sandy was equally impressive. Sharing the stage with a dog can present challenges for any performer but she had a lovely rapport with her four-legged co-star. This was a very accomplished performance from a talented young performer who will have gained a great deal from the experience of playing such an iconic role.

Sinead Butler was a very strong Miss Hannigan, giving a performance full of character and comic flair. She had a wonderful presence on stage and kept her characterisation consistently throughout. Ms. Butler had excellent comic timing and fully embraced the larger-than-life nature of Miss Hannigan, ensuring that she was both despised and likeable at the same time; a difficult balance to achieve. ‘Little Girls’ was a highlight. The number was sung very well and performed with great humour as she fully captured Hannigan's comic absurdity. Her comic timing was excellent throughout. She was also a very strong mover, especially in ‘Easy Street’, where the character-driven choreography suited her perfectly. Her physicality throughout the show was excellent and it was apparent that every gesture and reaction had been carefully considered. Excellent work all round.

Andrew Docherty gave an excellent performance as Oliver Warbucks, bringing both authority and warmth to the iconic role. Mr. Docherty was a very strong actor with an excellent understanding of text. He captured Warbucks' boisterous and authoritative nature very well but also ensured that glimpses of vulnerability and humanity emerged as the story progressed. His relationship with Annie was so well played and Mr. Docherty and Grace were so engaging in their scenes together. He sang with a warm baritone voice which suited the character perfectly. ‘You Won't Be an Orphan for Long’ was an excellent example of storytelling through song. A very thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable performance overall from Mr. Docherty.

Charlene Masterson brought a refreshing, somewhat different interpretation to the role of Grace Farrell. Rather than presenting Grace as the sweet, overly polished character that audiences often see, Ms. Masterson gave us a strong, professional woman, someone who was more than capable of dealing with Miss Hannigan when required. There was warmth and kindness there but she avoided making the role overly sentimental and this felt natural and authentic. She sang very well, with a lovely, clear soprano voice, especially in ‘I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here’.

Colm Shalvey was excellent in the role of Rooster, with plenty of energy and humour from start to finish. Rooster can often become a caricature but Mr. Shalvey made the character both entertaining and believable. His singing was very impressive in ‘Easy Street’. There was a real sense of fun in his performance and it was clear that Mr. Shalvey was enjoying every minute on stage. A thoroughly enjoyable performance from a very talented performer with strong comic timing throughout.

Sinead McKernan gave a very enjoyable performance as Lily St. Regis, bringing plenty of personality to the role of Rooster's glamorous but somewhat dim-witted sidekick. Her comic timing was strong and she worked well alongside Rooster and Miss Hannigan, especially in ‘Easy Street’ which was performed with great energy and commitment to the comedy. A very humorous and entertaining performance from Ms. McKernan overall.

Caroline McNally, Melissa Connolly and Siobhán Mooney worked very well together as the Boylan Sisters, as an entertaining and energetic trio. The chemistry between the three was evident and all three made great use of facial expression and were fully engaged at all times. Vocally, they did very well, with their accurate, well-blended harmonies. Ms. Connolly also impressed as Star-to-Be in ‘NYC’, performing the number with confidence and optimism.

Peter Finnegan took on the roles of Bert Healy and President Roosevelt, making a strong impression in both. As Bert Healy, he brought great energy and personality to the stage. In the role of President Roosevelt, he was a believable and authoritative figure without losing the warmth and humanity that is required. He had a strong voice and wasn’t afraid to belt things out with confidence.

Dave Quinn made the most of his role as Drake. Mr. Quinn was very animated throughout. I loved his very funny reaction to Annie's impending adoption. Mr. Quinn's genuine delight at the news was both heartwarming and amusing.

Dave Grey made a good impression in the role of Bundles, the laundry man who finds himself the object of Miss Hannigan's affections. A relatively small role within the overall production, Mr. Grey approached it with commitment and good humour and had good fun in doing so.

The ensemble work in this production was divided between the orphans and the adult ensemble. The orphans brought wonderful energy, focus and commitment to every scene in which they appeared. Singing, dancing and acting were all of a very high standard and it was so obvious that a considerable amount of rehearsal had gone into their work. The adult ensemble also made a strong contribution. They adapted well to their various roles, whether appearing as the staff in Warbucks' mansion, the residents of Hooverville or the other myriad characters from NYC to Washington DC. They were engaged in the action around them and their dedication and enthusiasm were evident throughout.

Stage manager Niamh Travers and her team did a very good job of keeping the production moving smoothly throughout the evening. Changes appeared slick and well rehearsed, ensuring that transitions between locations were generally very fast and well organised. This was particularly important in a production that moved through so many different settings, and the stage management team should be commended for the fluidity achieved. Overall, Ms. Travers ensured that the production ran very smoothly throughout.

The set design made excellent use of a large LED screen, which allowed the production to move quickly and easily between the many locations required. The graphics were of an exceptionally high standard. The orphanage dormitory looked suitably bleak and Hooverville created a convincing picture of hardship. The interiors of Warbucks' mansion successfully indicated the scale and wealth of his world, with the grand staircase being a particularly strong image, perfectly suited to the setting. The practical pieces worked well too. The orphanage beds looked very authentic, as did the furniture in Warbucks' mansion. One thing that kept catching my eye was the gap between the bottom of the screen and the stage floor. While not a major issue, it sometimes broke the illusion and reminded us that we were looking at a screen. I wondered whether some form of low-level cityscape or similar, across the base of the screen, might have helped disguise this gap.

The lighting design was strong throughout, with plenty of colour and movement used to help suggest different locations and moods. There was some lovely use of colour. Lighting was used to good effect picking out the radio in Miss Hannigan's office, helping to focus the audience's attention. There was frequent tracking of performers using moving lights. This can be very effective when it works well and there were numerous occasions where it worked perfectly. However, tracking performers like this can be very challenging and requires a lot of tech time and consistently timed movement by performers. On a few occasions, the tracking light was fractionally behind the performer it was following. There was a lot to admire in the lighting design overall which, with some fine tuning, could have been elevated even further.

The sound design was excellent throughout. There was a very good balance between the band and cast. Instruments blended together very well, creating a very warm, full sound. The vocal mix was equally impressive. Ensemble singing was well balanced. EQ levels were well set with voices sounding natural and clear. Sound effects were particularly well handled. Effects such as the telephone and applause cues were very well timed and really helped to support the storytelling. Overall, this was excellent work from the sound department. The quality of the mix and the excellent balance between cast and orchestra ensured that this was one of the strongest elements of the production.

There was great attention to detail from the costume department. The orphan costumes worked particularly well. They were suitably worn without appearing overly exaggerated and there was enough variation between the costumes to give each orphan a sense of individuality. The servants and maids in Warbucks’ mansion were very well presented in their smart, tidy uniforms, creating a very polished. Hooverville was equally successful, with coats, scarves and worn clothing helping to create a believable picture of life during the Depression. There were some lovely individual character costumes such as Rooster's sharp suit and spats. Bert Healy's bowler hat was a nice finishing touch and Annie herself looked wonderful in her iconic red dress. Overall, the costume department did very good work.

The props department also did great work throughout, with very good attention to detail. Annie's all-important was perfect. Other props were equally effective, including the laundry basket, Miss Hannigan's hip flask, Grace's briefcase and the antique telephone, all of which felt appropriate to the period. The radio in Miss Hannigan's office was especially authentic, while the microphone used in the NBC radio scene was another standout prop. The Christmas presents helped to create a lovely festive atmosphere during the later scenes. One small point concerned Miss Hannigan's "medicine", as it was noticeable that she was ‘drinking’ from an empty glass. This is only a minor observation but a small amount of liquid would have made this moment even more believable.

The hair and makeup department did very good work throughout. Annie's wig looked great. As one of the most recognisable characters in musical theatre, there are certain expectations and Grace Carolan’s red curls helped to create the classic image. Wigs used for the principal characters were well chosen. Lily St. Regis's blonde wig perfectly suited her personality. Miss Hannigan's dramatic red wig was another excellent choice. Miss Hannigan's makeup was also very effective. The stronger, more exaggerated approach suited her character perfectly. There was great attention to detail with Warbucks. The bald cap was exceptionally convincing and looked completely natural. It is often difficult to achieve this effect successfully but the work here was of a very high standard. Overall, this was very good work from the hair and makeup team.

As I reflected on the performance afterwards, I found myself returning to the young audience member whose spontaneous outburst was a lovely reminder of the unique power of live theatre. For that child, the world on stage was completely real. That is what every production should strive to achieve. Ratoath Musical Society can be proud of what they achieved and I wish them every success as they continue to bring live theatre to audiences and create those magical moments that only theatre can provide.

Pat McElwain

Sullivan Adjudicator 2025/2026