Hartismere School

Hartismere School has once again triumphed with its sensational musical, Annie, which brought an unfamiliar but admirable sense of ‘old-school’ to the stage. Lois Nicholson, as Annie, demonstrated effortless talent, with her trademark, mischievous grin, and red pigtails.

In spite of the dominance of snow prior to the performances, Hartismere’s “Snow Team” remained undeterred and quickly cleared the entrance to the school.

Over four nights the show attracted more than 1,400 members of the public, a success representative of the countless hours staff and students have spent rehearsing the intricacies of the show. Energy and charisma dominated the performances and built a distinctly feel-good atmosphere.

Audiences enjoyed the seamless choreography and vocals in chorus numbers, as well as captivating set design, featuring a revolving stage, and, of course, the courage shown by Annie’s dog, Sandy. 

Hartismere’s production proves that “amateurs” can achieve the same standards as “professionals”, as evidenced by the dedication shown by cast, staff and backstage.

For a large proportion of the cast, Annie has marked a memorable final high school production, an opportunity to form new friendships and the scope to develop as performers.

From the majesty of Les Miserables in 2016 to the vibrant Zorro last year, staff are now faced with the difficult decision in selecting next year’s production.