Mary Poppins – a Triumph

From the moment the curtains open, anyone who has seen this fabulous show before is transported into the show. The Banks’ children’s nanny resigns in the first scene, and the search begins for a replacement. The children, played expertly by Jemima and Alex, write their own job advert, and Mary Poppins flies over the rooftops and arrives at their door!

Daisy’s characterisation of Mary Poppins’ clipped, matter-of-fact manner is fantastic – her timing and her poise are brilliant. She appoints herself to the role, and immediately wins the children over, as if by magic, pulling a 6-foot hatstand and a plant from her capacious bag!

Even the set changes were perfectly choreographed with the music. The scene in the park with Bert, Mary Poppins, and the children was lovely, with passers-by licking huge lollies and carrying balloons. The dance numbers with the chorus were great, with a stage full of actors performing wonderfully stylised steps.

The mechanical movements of the sixteen black and white bankers are in stark contrast to the chimney-sweeps, and Freya’s initially cold and business-like portrayal of Mr Banks sets the scene for his realisation later in the show.

Lola’s voice is strong as the Bird Woman in the famous ‘Feed the Birds’. This leads on to Bert joining Mary Poppins and the children, and they come together with the large chorus to sing ‘Supercalfragilisticexpialidocious’. The dance number when the chorus spell out the word has a wonderful feel-good factor.

While the children sleep, Charlie, playing Bert, dances on the rooftops with Mary Poppins, before she flys off. The new nanny, acted by Sonia, is terrifying, and the children, whose interplay throughout is perfect, decide to run away.

They bump into Bert, and together they fly kites in the park. Then, as if by magic, they pull the kite down and Mary Poppins is on the end.

There is then a stand-off at the Banks’ house between the two nannies, but there is never any doubt who will win!

The band of 26 chimney-sweeps are great in ‘Step in Time’ – you couldn’t help but smile, and the audience loved it. As the show draws to a close, Mary Poppins leaves and the children come to the realisation that they do not need her anymore – they miss her, but they have grown under her guidance.

This was a brilliant show, all the more impressive because the entire cast is from Key Stage 3 –some of the audience members were overheard saying how amazed they were by the high standard. Congratulations to the brilliant cast, as well as to all those who work so hard behind the scenes, those who made costumes, the crew, the set-builders, and the technical team. And, of course, well dome to the co-directors, Mrs Sellers and Miss Clarke – it was a triumph!

Dr Barrand