Mary Poppins, Adelaide Festival Theatre
Yes, it really is ‘practically perfect in every way’!
Dr Diana Carroll, 5 stars

You don’t often see a spontaneous full-house standing ovation from the very moment the curtain comes down. But that’s exactly what happened on the opening night of Mary Poppins at the Festival Theatre. The audience was ecstatic, from the grandkids to the grandmas and everyone in between, and deservedly so. Mary Poppins really is ‘practically perfect in every way’. 

This truly delightful production comes from the twin forces of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh and celebrates the pure pleasure in the story of everyone’s favourite nanny. It draws on the hugely successful 1964 Disney film and the original stories by British-Australian author PL Travers (the pen name of Helen Goff). The show relies heavily on the Disney film and our collective nostalgia for the characters created by Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and Glynis Johns. But the storyline is closer to the books – and what a wealth of material there is, with The Complete Mary Poppins paperbackcoming in at some 767 pages! Mrs Banks, for example, is a rather anxious stay-at-home mother and society hostess but not a suffragette  – that was added to the Disney film and isn’t in the book. And if you haven’t seen the excellent film Saving Mr Banks about the difficult relationship between the Mary Poppins author and Walt Disney (played by Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks), it is highly recommended.

The cast here are uniformly excellent with brilliant performances from Stefanie Jones in the title role; Jack Chambers as the cheeky chimney sweep Bert; Lucy Maunder as Mrs Banks; and Tom Wren as Mr Banks. Interestingly, Jones and Chambers played the Banks children together in a stage production of Mary Poppins when they were both young performers.

There is a rotating cast of four children for each of the roles as Jane and Michael Banks; the two on opening night were a delight to watch and a credit to their song-and-dance teachers. Much-loved star of stage and screen Patti Newton is perfectly cast as Bird Woman, taking over from Marina Prior in the Melbourne run and Nancye Hayes in Sydney. She brings real pathos to the role and was clearly a sentimental favourite with the audience.

The big dance numbers are a real treat – bright, colourful, and creative – featuring dancing statues, bank clerks, chimney sweeps and more. The moves are fast and sharp, guided by choreographer Richard Jones, dance supervisor Kirsten King, and dance captain (Adelaide’s own) Zoe Komazec.  Fans of tap dancing will not be disappointed either with sparkling routines. And all of the songs you know and love are here to sing along to, including a toe-tapping Step In Time and an exceptionally vigorous rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The unseen orchestra does a sterling job throughout under the musical direction of Geoffrey Castles, playing with energy and precision.

Most of the action on stage takes place in the Banks’ home at 17 Cherry Tree Lane, recreated on stage like the pages of a traditional pop-up story book. The house itself is a gem. The set for the interior of the bank is also superb, looking like an Escher painting and cleverly playing with our sense of perspective. And the scenes set on the London rooftops at night are just lovely.

Inevitably, the highlights of the show are the big special effects. Bert is breathtaking as he tap dances his way up the side of the stage, across the top, fully hanging upside down, and down the other side. This is a sophisticated circus-style feat that fully deserves its enthusiastic round of applause. And who can resist a booted and suited nanny, complete with her furled brolly, as she magically floats across the theatre, gliding over the heads of the entranced audience.

Mary Poppins is heart-warming delight and the perfect antidote to winter in Adelaide!

Adelaide Festival Theatre until August 27. Get your tickets HERE.