As our favourite Supernanny flies into Manchester, a superb creative team ensure there’s not a spit spot of disappointment because this glossy stage version stays as true as possible to the film and P L Travers’ original stories adapted by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes.
Skilfully directed by award-winning Richard Eyre, there’s a dark, almost Dickensian opening but, as the astonishing story-book sets spring open with the arrival of Mary Poppins, she is, we discover, practically perfect.
The film’s animation sequence is replaced with a fantasy park in which Matthew Bourne’s choreography sees statues come to life. The Sherman Brothers’ famous songs are turned into even bigger production numbers and there’s some new material by George Stiles and Andrew Drew .
Lisa O’Hare is delightful as the magical nanny who sings like a dream and fearlessly takes her final flight across the auditorium.
Daniel Crossly is an endearing Bert who performs a breathtaking tap-dance upside down across the proscenium arch.
Mr and Mrs Banks are sensitively realised by Martin Ball and Louise Bowden while their children, played by Isabella Sedgewick and William Pearce, are outstanding.
This quality production richly deserves its standing ovation.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Content is copyright © 2012 The Stage Media Company Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)
