Mary Poppins is intensely charming from the off, and remains so until the final bows. A winning blend of the classic Disney film and the first two PL Travers books, Mary Poppins whirls us up into its sparkling vision of Edwardian London and doesn’t let us go.
The staging is the major draw here: it is wildly imaginative and detail-orientated, with dozens of touches of magic and invention in every scene. From the storybook unfolding of the Banks’ house set, to the park exploding in a riot of colour, to the giant starry vision of Mary’s umbrella, each new set and song brings fresh delights. The Step In Time number is a particular standout, with jaw-dropping wirework ably performed by Jack Chambers as Bert.
There are bravura touches in the choreography that remind us of the calibre talent behind the production (multi-Olivier Award winners Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear are co-choreographers). I particularly enjoyed the balletic flourishes given to Neleus, played by an elegant and sprightly Yujin Park, and the rapid-pace letter choreography for the brilliant Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
The musical moves at a breakneck pace – perhaps too quickly, with some narrative and emotional elements rather rushed past. Wendy Ferguson gives an astonishing vocal performance as the terrifying nanny Miss Andrews (from Mary Poppins Comes Back), but the character herself feels somewhat unnecessary. Her appearance is perfunctory, giving us little new narrative information, and she is dispatched quickly.
The Mr and Mrs Banks storyline is expanded upon, which adds additional depth to Mr Banks in particular, but somewhat messes with the joy of Mrs Banks as a character, despite Lucie-Mae Sumner’s charming performance. Her narrative arc in the musical largely revolves around her husband, and it is odd to have a contemporary musical so definitively dismiss the idea of Mrs Banks returning to a career, and instead just focusing on being the best possible wife she can be. There are high points in the book, however: Jack Chambers and Stefanie Jones (as Mary herself) play off each other wonderfully, and both their relationships with the children are sweetly felt. The comedy is well-balanced, with acerbic asides for the older audience members and gleeful slapstick for all.
The cast is universally strong. Michael D Xavier is an excellent George Banks: an adept physical comedian, he flits between upright precision and a faltering pile of long limbs. Patti Boulaye gives a sweet performance as the Bird Woman, and there are laughs a-plenty to be had from the supporting cast. The abiding impression is one of joy. It is, after all, hard to resist the pull of an extremely talented and exuberant ensemble bringing their all, and the enduring, classic magic of the Sherman Brothers’ songs.
At the Bristol Hippodrome until 30 November 2024, thereafter touring the UK and Ireland.
Original music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman & Robert B Sherman; new songs by George Stiles & Andrew Drewe
Book by Julian Fellowes
Cast includes: Stefanie Jones, Jack Chambers, Michael D Xavier, Lucie-Mae Sumner
National Tour directed by James Powell