Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is that rare entity that one stumbles upon occasionally: an adaptation that equals, if not surpasses, the original source. The story follows Jane and Michael Banks, two spoilt children who, through the use of imagination and game-playing with a magical nanny, find themselves on many adventures which lead to their eventual maturity.

Fans of the Disney film will recognise many aspects. Most of the Sherman Brothers songs are used, but they have been moved around and transformed, sometimes quite drastically. Some of the film’s characters have been slimmed down or cut, and a few characters from P.L. Travers’ original books are reinserted. The result is a completely original experience that honours the novels and the film while being its own work of art.

What’s also interesting is how relevant the play feels. It may be based on a book series that began in the 1930s and set at the turn of the 20th century, but many of the plotlines prove to be timely, especially its focus on family dynamics, the influence of neglectful parents and its rather innocent insight into the banking business.

The creative team are all quite impressive, with some of theatre’s greatest talents not only contributing but acting at the top of their game. And with a crackerjack cast that uniformly turn in wonderful performances, the production is a complete joy that easily stirs the emotions and proves to be a ‘jolly’ evening for audiences of all ages that’s Supercali…(you know the rest). [Michael Cox]