|
Everything about Mary Poppins smelt like a blockbuster in waiting, from the high-profile launch last year to the huge billboards advertising the lovable nanny’s imminent arrival.
But could this much loved fable and movie translate on to the stage?
The answer, judging by the enthusiastic theatre-goers stamping their feet in approval, was a resounding yes.
Everything from the elaborate stage design to the cast is done brilliantly.
Verity Hunt-Ballard perfectly embodied Poppins’ razor-sharp wit and supreme confidence.
From the moment she stepped on stage all prejudices washed away and it was impossible to view her as none other than the title role.
Matt Lee’s portrayal of Bert was more restrained than Dick Van Dyke’s famed performance.
That is a pity because in the film Van Dyke’s exuberant Bert was a great counterpoint to Poppins’ cool exterior and in this stage version the hinted romance never really caught alight.
Philip Quast and Marina Prior were also great as the heads of the Banks household.
© News Community Media
