7 quotes from the musical 'Annie' that could be about SA's protests & politics

Delightful family favourite 'Annie', the musical, currently showing in Johannesburg, has political allegory in it, but who knew it could relate to South Africa too.

While kids might not cotton on to it, behind the story of the spirited red-haired orphan girl, fanciful songs and brilliant dance sequences, is a political tale from the 1930s.

Set in New York during the Great Depression (we aren't quite there again, but some might argue otherwise), the show features orphan Annie, billionaire Oliver Warbucks and the disgruntled "carer" Miss Hannigan.

The tale of the poor (Annie), contrasted with the rich (Warbucks) and an unhappy middle class (Miss Hannigan, the orphanage manager) was written as a satirical story by Thomas Meehan.

The musical is based on the Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie which included political commentary on the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration.

At Montecasino however, the cheerful tale brings to mind uncanny parallels with modern-day South Africa.

While some interpretations have morphed into a pro-Roosevelt construct, it could easily fit the current election debacle in the US, or that of Mzansi...

7 'Annie' quotes that could be about SA

•  "It's the hard-knock life for us/ 'Steada treated ... we get tricked!/ 'Steada kisses ... we get kicked!/ It's the hard-knock life!" said the orphans - and our local protesting working classes.

• "Leaping Lizards! Just look at this joint!" - Annie said, but could be spoken on a tour of a Gupta bank statement or a presidential jet, against the backdrop of university protests.

• "It ain't fair! This here life is drivin' me nuts! While we get peanuts, she's livin' fat!" - Miss Hannigan on Annie's new-found fortune sounds like an EFF outburst in parliament, or everyone, actually, complaining about some of those in high office.

• "I want to feed them and house them and pay them. Not much, but enough to send home to their parents. So they can hold their heads up again and be proud to be Americans." - Roosevelt talking about his New Deal could be Hillary Clinton, or Mmusi Maimane.

• "You love money and power and capitalism? You know they're never going to love you back ..." - said Daddy Warbucks' secretary, Grace, but could well be one of outgoing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's famed tweets of wisdom.

• "Who cares what they're wearing on Main Street, or Savile Row? It's what you wear from ear to ear and not from head to toe that matters ... You're never fully dressed without a smile!" - said the orphans, oblivious Hout Bay hippies and hipsters.

• "The sun'll come out tomorrow, so you gotta hang on till tomorrow/ Come what may/ Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow/ You're only a day away," - Annie's bright outlook is shared by no political analyst or economist in South Africa ... perhaps the weather forecasters.

WATCH the trailer for 'Annie':

'Annie' is on at Montecasino until November 27 and at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town from December 2 to January 8 2017. The lead role is played by local stars Emma-Rose Blacher, Lilla Fleischmann and Caitlin Dicker.