Bournemouth and Boscombe Light Opera Company [BBLOC] 
Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth
Oscar T 
29 October 2025
They say that in show business, you should never work with children or animals — but after watching BBLOC’s production of Annie, one must wonder, “Why on earth not?”
Set in 1930s New York, Annie is a classic musical that follows the life of a plucky and optimistic orphan who escapes her orphanage in search of her long-lost parents, only to find love and acceptance in the arms of billionaire Oliver Warbucks and his secretary, Grace Farrell — despite the best efforts of the orphanage’s mistress, Miss Hannigan, her dastardly brother, Rooster, and his ditsy accomplice, Lily St. Regis.
From the moment I walked into the auditorium of the beautiful Bournemouth Pavilion, it was clear that this production of Annie had been approached with great care, love, and attention to detail. The stage was already set as the audience filtered in, and as the five-minute call was announced, the orphans appeared, preparing their beds and arranging props within an impressive, high-quality set. The period was captured perfectly through careful choices in props, costumes, and lighting design, transporting the audience straight into Depression-era New York City.
The young performers impressed from the outset. The ensemble of orphans were well-costumed, precisely choreographed, and clearly enjoying themselves. Each young performer carried herself with confidence and commitment, showing maturity beyond her years. These young ladies — Rebecca, Sienna, Aniya, Emily, Harper, Freya, Hattie, Bella, Matilda, Alice, and Darcy — held the stage beautifully, each creating a distinct and engaging character. A special mention must go to Freya, who portrayed Molly with charm and precision. She captured the cheeky, confident innocence of the role superbly, and her diction and accent work were excellent. All of the orphans sang and spoke with clarity, danced with enthusiasm, and showed real dedication to their craft — I’ve no doubt there were many proud parents leaving the Pavilion that evening!
Leading lady Zanthie Lock, in the titular role, was nothing short of breathtaking. Annie is a mammoth role for any performer, let alone one so young, yet Zanthie delivered a performance full of heart, strength, and vulnerability. Her rendition of “Maybe” was near pitch-perfect, and her powerful, crystal-clear mix-belt in “Tomorrow” filled the auditorium with emotion. I particularly enjoyed her witty interplay with Warbucks and Grace in the mansion scenes — her charisma and comic timing shone through. Zanthie is an exceptionally talented performer, and I look forward to seeing where her talent takes her next.
Miss Hannigan, played by Sally Wheeler, was a particular highlight. Her fantastic comedic timing and commitment to Hannigan’s perpetual inebriation earned plenty of well-deserved laughs. “Little Girls” was both hilarious and vocally confident, a real standout moment.
John Bishop and Sophie Adnett brought to life the devilishly charming Rooster and the wonderfully ditsy Lily St. Regis with strong physical comedy and effortless chemistry. Together with Wheeler, their rendition of “Easy Street” was a delight — gloriously over-the-top and performed with sharp choreography and strong characterisation from all three. “Easy Street” has always been my favourite number in the show, and it’s so easy to go too far over the top, but this villainous trio balanced the number perfectly.
Kayleigh Jones portrayed Grace Farrell with warmth and poise. She had a gentle, maternal chemistry with Annie that worked beautifully on stage. While her accent occasionally wavered, she more than made up for it with her elegant movement and lovely vocal tone.
Oliver Warbucks was played with great conviction by Jonathan Busk, whose connection with Zanthie was palpable. His Warbucks was warm, protective, and understated, and his vocal delivery was strong and sincere. His natural presence and emotional truth more than compensated for the occasional accent inconsistency.
The ensemble handled the larger production numbers with enthusiasm. “NYC” was especially effective, featuring simple yet purposeful movement from the principals and a clear sense of staging. Choreographer Heather Davis’s work was thoughtful and well-structured, though at times some ensemble members appeared slightly rigid or lacking energy. This improved notably in the second act, and the overall visual impression remained polished and cohesive throughout.
Phillip Fry gave a commanding performance as President Roosevelt, bringing both gravitas and warmth to the role. His reprise of “Tomorrow” was stirring and sincere, a lovely moment of optimism in the second act.
A special mention must go to those involved in the “Bert Healy” radio sequence in Act Two, which was delightfully staged and intentionally over-the-top — perfectly cheesy in all the right ways.
And of course, I mustn’t forget Sandy the dog, portrayed by the adorable Teddy, a four-year-old Cockapoo owned and trained by Steff McGinn. Teddy was a good boy throughout and stole the audience’s hearts from the moment he trotted on stage.
Overall, this was a strong and thoroughly enjoyable production. The cast’s enthusiasm and commitment were evident throughout, and under Helen Barrington’s direction — with choreography by Heather Davis and musical direction by Ian Peters — the heart of Annie shone brightly. A few moments of hesitancy aside, this was an accomplished and heartfelt staging of a musical that thrives on sincerity, and BBLOC delivered that in abundance.
