Annie (Jan 1991)

Aberdeen Arts Centre

Annie follows the titular red-headed orphan, as she escapes from a New York orphanage, run by the intolerable Miss Hannigan, who loves her alcohol much more than the orphans in her care.

Having got out, Annie finds a new friend in the lovable dog, Sandy, before being caught by police and taken back to a 'concerned' Miss Hannigan. Luckily, Annie is present when Grace Farrell, private secretary to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks, arrives at the orphanage to select an orphan to spend Christmas with Mr Warbucks. Grace takes an instant liking to Annie and, much to Miss Hannigan's disgust, Annie is whisked off to the Warbucks mansion. Warbucks and Annie hit it off immediately and, within a week, he decided to adopt her. However, Annie announces that she wants to try to find her own parents, if they are still alive.

This plays right into the hands of Miss Hannigan, her small-time criminal brother, Rooster, and his tarty girlfriend, Lily, who plan to use Annie's search to further their own greedy needs.

...not content with simply establishing themselves, the newly born Phoenix Theatre obviously decided to set new standards...
— Press and Journal
Phoenix Theatre’s Annie (1991)