ANNIE
Book by THOMAS MEEHAN Music by CHARLES STROUSE Lyrics by MARTIN CHARNIN
Sometimes the desire to avoid sentimentality abolishes sentiment. A wide-eyed Little Orphan Annie is precisely what one expects, but a dry-eyed Little Orphan Annie is a contradiction in terms. Perhaps through the innate temperament of its teen-age star, Andrea McArdle, an aridity of mood pervades Annie. There is no suggestion of a waif in this 14-year-old, who keeps any warmth or vulnerability on a very tight leash. And what, after all, is the strong. affectionate bond between Annie and her dog...