THEATRE: Annie

Dorian's back and she's running an orphanage in New York.

Well, not exactly, there are only a few shades of the Birds of a Feather nympho in Lesley Joseph's performance.

She boozes, floozes, shouts and smacks her way through this sparkling production of the musical Annie.

The show isn't as fluffy as you might think: while certainly suitable for a family audience, it has scenes with violent undercurrents or political overtones.

The tone is generally light-hearted and warm-hearted, though, as we follow little orphan Annie for Christmas with millionaire Oliver Warbucks.

Familiar songs like Tomorrow and Hard Knock Life make up for the odd lacklustre number. All the performances are good, but the seven orphan girls are the best: vibrant, strong-voiced and full of character.

* Bradford Alhambra, tonight, tomorrow. Phone 01274 752000.

DAVID KNIGHTS