Our Marxist take on ANNIE

[AndrewAndrew]

From the funny pages, to radio, to films, and to the Broadway stage, the phenomenal franchise of Little Orphan Annie is nearing a century of entertaining young and old. In 1924 The original comic strip was created by the notoriously libertarian-leaning Harold Gray after a chance encounter with a real-life scruffy, but charming street urchin named Annie. The strip’s success gave Gray a pulpit from which to rail against unions, socialism, and FDR’s attempts to revitalize the American economy after real life Daddy Warbucks ruined it. The current revival of Annie, now playing at the Palace Theatre, is the 1977 adaptation and it reflects the values of that time. In this version Annie’s boundless optimism is the inspiration for FDR’s New Deal. While Gray’s hard core ideology is mostly absent, it’s still a celebration of materialism, wealth, and sugar daddy’s everywhere.

One of the great American myths is that anyone can “make it” here if they have enough pluck and the right attitude. The two best known numbers, “Tomorrow” and “It’s The Hard Knock Life”, express these ideas brilliantly, a fact reinforced by Jay-Z’s sampling of the later for the certified gold hit “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”. The fact that Jay-Z and Annie embody the same values with similar results is not proof positive of the merits of the free market. In fact, Jay-Z’s need to fund his foray into entertainment with drug money is proof of the opposite; the corrupting influence of capitalism on our country. Unlike Annie, the real poor have scant options for advancement. The fact that for many crime is a stepping stone to pursuing a real career is evidence that capitalism does not work. A well articulated tirade against materialism and gold diggery in his 1998 hit “Can I Get A..” suggests Jay-Z may like money, but he’s against the outright greediness that stories like Annie tend to prey upon and promote.

When the police bust up the Hooverville shanty town one can’t help but think of Occupy Wall Street. With the unsavoriness of our current lot of captains of industry: Trump, The Koch Brothers, and Bernie Madoff, it’s very reassuring to cling to the warm image of “Daddy Warbucks”. It’s also hard not to take offense every time someone snubs the meek FDR in favor of the charismatic Warbucks. (One of the greatest threats facing our country right now is our bloated military spending and the Military Industrial Complex; the man’s name is literally WAR BUCKS for Christ’s sake people wake up!) Let’s hope that Will Smith’s rumored remake staring his own kid will bring a more reasonable perspective to this fable where riches magically appear if you just believe enough.

Hip-Hop, capitalism, and the death of The American Dream aside, Lilla Crawford is a pint-sized actor with a gallon of talent. Annie is a must see, fun for all ages! Don’t wait until tomorrow to buy your tickets, get them today!
Video Review of ANNIE

[sinister teashop]

Investigate AndrewAndrew!!!

Thanks for the info on Harold Gray. I had no idea that that was the original angle of the comic strip.

[bwayphreak234]

AndrewAndrew - I LOVE your YouTube videos! Glad to see you guys on here

[AndrewAndrew]

Thanks!

[PalJoey]

Interesting analysis.

By the way, which one of you is Andrew and which is Andrew?

(I bet you get asked that a lot, don't you?)

[FindingNamo]

Andrew is the one on the left and Andrew is the one on the right. Duh.

[PalJoey]

Actually, I think it's the other way around.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Which one is the top?

[Jordan Catalano]

Well Andrew looks like a big ol' bottom so obviously, it's Andrew.

[PalJoey]

The one with the bowtie.

[AndrewAndrew]

we get that (any many other questions) quite often!

[FindingNamo]

Side Show revival producers, here's your answer.