A hard knock life turned from grime to glamour in Nikolai Foster’s up tempo production of Annie.

A riot of colour, high notes and (in some places) high kicks filled the Marlowe Theatre’s stage from start to finish – making it a show to remember for the whole of half term.

Birds of a feather’s Lesley Joseph didn’t fail to delight as scowling, scheming and gin swigging Miss Hannigan – shining her brightest with her well-loved humour during renditions of Easy Street with Rooster and Lily.

Star of the show Elise Blake was both adorable and sassy as Annie the orphan, who wrapped multi millionaire (sorry, billionaire) Daddy Warbucks (Alex Bourne) around her little finger – not to mention the President of the United States.

Renditions of Cabinet Tomorrow, Something Was Missing and I Don’t Need Anything But You, allowed a believable and easy chemistry between Blake and Bourne, bringing a tear to the eye and a well deserved standing ovation for both.

The whole company of actors - especially the youngest - did Foster proud, coming to life with the angry and in your face scene setter: It’s a Hard Knock Life, the song that is synonymous with the show’s title.

The young cast’s high polished acting, singing, and on-beat choreography was expertly dulled to emit a bare-knuckled rawness. Foster paid tribute to their contribution to the show, saying: “You give them one idea and they throw a thousand back at you.”

Meanwhile, the money mad Rooster and Lily (Jonny Fines and Djalenga Scott) oozed loathable charisma with their sinister plotting.

In true New York City style, the busier the stage, the better it was. This was most true in Hooverville sung by The Homeless, NYC (Warbucks, Grace and NYC People) and A New Deal For Christmas (Annie, Orphans, Warbucks, Grace and Company). The combined effort was proof of what imagination, dedication and the love of performing does.