Interview: Claire Sweeney shares her love of Wales and excitement of bringing Annie to the stage

Nation Cymru staff

Claire Sweeney is set to make her debut as Miss Hannigan at Wales Millennium Centre from next week, and ahead of the highly anticipated production, she sat down with Nation Cymru to talk all about her love of Cardiff and Wales and her excitement at playing the iconic villain.

From 7 – 18 July 2026, Claire will star alongside the previously announced Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, and the newly announced Tanisha-Mae Brown as Grace Farrell, Christian Cooper as Rooster, and Amber Kennedy as Lily St. Regis.

Claire Sweeney is an actress, singer and TV presenter. She can currently be seen as series regular Cassie Plummer in Coronation Street and is well known for her role as Lindsay Corkhill in Brookside. Her other credits include roles in Clocking Off, Holby City, Merseybeat, Candy Cabs, Scarborough, The Good Ship Murder and Benidorm.

Claire’s many West End credits include playing Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre, and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, playing opposite Patrick Swayze, at The Piccadilly Theatre. Claire’s other stage credits include starring roles in national tours of 9 to 5 the Musical, Crazy For You, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Legally Blonde, Hairspray and September in the Rain. She has played the title role in Educating Rita alongside Matthew Kelly and in 2011, she starred in a new production of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Don Black’s one-woman show Tell Me on a Sunday.

Claire has also toured in the hit show Sex In Suburbia, which she co-wrote, following its hugely successful run at the Royal Court Liverpool. Other theatre credits include Willy Russell’s classic Shirley Valentine, White Christmas, Shout!, a world tour of Fosse, and The Play What I Wrote.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.

Her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.

With its Tony award-winning book and score, the production includes the unforgettable songs ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’.

You’re beginning your run as Miss Hannigan in Cardiff. Why is Wales Millennium Centre the perfect place to kick off this next chapter of the tour?

For me, Cardiff is the perfect place to kick off the tour. It holds a very special place in my heart. I last performed there when I did Guys and Dolls, and I normally perform at the New Theatre, so it’ll be lovely to go back to the bay and be at Wales Millennium Centre, which is the most stunning venue. And the audiences are always so warm and friendly.

Cardiff audiences are known for their love of musical theatre. What are you most looking forward to about performing here?

The audiences are always very vocal, you know if it’s a good show because the Cardiff audience will tell you straight away! They’re very responsive and of course, some of the best singers are from Wales, so the audiences themselves are often very talented and fabulous.

Miss Hannigan is one of musical theatre’s most iconic villains. What attracted you to the role?

I’ve wanted to play Miss Hannigan since I was a kid. When all my friends were obsessed with Molly, Annie, Pepper and Duffy, I always wanted to be Miss Hannigan. It’s such an iconic role and it’s come at the right stage in my life. I’ve had a wealth of life experience, and I feel it will be nice to bring all that to the role.

Why do you think Annie continues to resonate with audiences decades after it first premiered?

Annie is a timeless show, and it resonates with audiences because somewhere in our brains we all know the songs. Every song is a hit, and the story is so heartfelt. It’s part of our culture from when we were growing up, and I think it’s one of the greatest musicals of all time.

You’ve worked across television, theatre and music throughout your career. What keeps drawing you back to the stage?

Whatever I am doing I will always be drawn back to the stage. I absolutely love musical theatre, so much so that on my nights off I’m at the theatre most nights! I’m always drawn to it and I will continue to be drawn to it. It’s just a deep, engrained love.

Looking back on your career so far, where does Miss Hannigan rank among the characters you’ve played?

Miss Hannigan, for me, is the pinnacle. It’s a role I’ve always wanted to play. A friend of mine gave me a collage for my 40th birthday, 15 years ago, with pictures of my life on there. And he superimposed my face onto the body of Paul O’Grady playing Miss Hannigan, so I’ve sat and looked at myself as Miss Hannigan for the last 15 years and I’ve just been manifesting it. It’s tragic, it’s funny, it’s just a brilliant role. It’s got everything in it.

Did you watch Annie growing up, and if so, what are your earliest memories of it?

My earliest memories of Annie are seeing it at the cinema when I was a kid and just knowing the songs, belting out Tomorrow and It’s The Hard-Knock Life. I went to a stage school where it was pretty much a staple for any kid. We had quite a few kids who were in the original cast of Annie at our school, it was just part of our childhood and heritage growing up.

What do you love about Wales?

I love the people in Wales. They’re so friendly, warm, and always up for a laugh and a good singsong. They’re very genuine people and I just think they’re great, I can’t wait to perform there and couldn’t think of a better place to open.

Annie heads to Wales Millennium Centre from 7 – 18 July 2026. More information and tickets are available here.