'Brilliant character' Claire Sweeney's dream role of Miss Hannigan as Annie musical lands in Lancashire

The opportunity to play Miss Hannigan in Annie is a very special one for Claire Sweeney. The star who has a proud list of TV and stage work to her name says it has always been her dream to feature as the tyrannical orphanage matron in the much-loved musical - and she has said farewell to the the world’s longest running soap drama to finally do it.

Although she is still to be seen on TV’s famous cobbles in episodes broadcast recently, in the role of Cassie Plummer she has played since 2023, the only Coronation Street will be strolling down this week is that outside the Winter Gardens as Annie comes to town.

The musical set in the 1930s about an orphan girl forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage is in Blackpool from tomorrow (Tues) until Saturday. August 1 - and Claire couldn’t be more thrilled.

“It’s great to be back in Blackpool and Miss Hannigan is a role I have always wanted to play - a real dream come true for me after first seeing Annie as a young girl,” she said. It’s a brilliant character and it’s the chance to play her that prompted my decision to give up Coronation Street.

“I’ve had a great time there playing Cassie and I will really miss the people there and the day-to-day routine of being on a TV drama, but touring in the role of Miss Hannigan is something I have always wanted to do and too good a chance to miss.

“I’m especially looking forward to the Blackpool run. The town and I go back a long way - from singing at the Norbreck Castle at 14 - and I have played all sorts of roles in Blackpool over the years and had a great time.

“The Opera House is a wonderful theatre with great audiences.”

Claire also fondly recalls that as a contestant on the very first series of TV’s Strictly Come Dancing more that 20 years ago, she won the leg which took place at Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom. While Cassie and Coronation Street have ben consigned to TV history, Claire is set to appear again on our TV screens very soon - in a role that was her big break 35 years ago.

She first made her name as Lindsay Corkhill from 1991 to its end in 2003 in Channel 4 soap Brookside, currently being repeated to impressive audience numbers on streaming service STV Player.

The five episodes a week repeat run is currently at those from May 1991 and Claire debuted as Lindsay in June that year, so her first repeated appearance is just a couple of weeks away.

“I had a great time on Brookside and I’m not surprised the repeats are dong well,” said Claire.

“The show was always popular the response to the repeats shows there is still an audience for it.”

With its Tony award-winning book and score, Annie includes songs such as ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’. Among those sharing the stage with Claire in Annie are Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Tanisha-Mae Brown as Grace Farrell, Christian Cooper as Rooster, and Amber Kennedy as Lily St Regis.

Ticket details at www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk