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I’ll admit, I don’t frequent the theatre very often. Although I took part in a lot of high school productions, the last time I went to a big theatre production was Queen tribute We Will Rock You some five or six years ago.
So when I went along to a preview of Mary Poppins last Sunday, I wasn’t sure whether I would be smiling, hooked on the characters and singing my head off, or cringing and wanting to hit the exits.
The result was undoubtedly – and pleasingly – the former option.
Based on the popular books by P.L. Travers and the classic 1964 Disney movie of the same name, the stage production follows the story of the magical nanny Ms Poppins, who is brought in to look after Cherry Tree Lane’s most popular children Jane and Michael Banks after a number of nannies couldn’t handle the job.
Over the next two hours, we are brought along for a wonderful ride as Mary teaches the kids how to have fun and their grumpy father George faces a number challenges in his job at the London Bank.
The reason why Mary Poppins will continue to pack out Her Majesty’s Theatre well into next year is not just because it’s a production that is accessible and appealing to all ages – the cast does a great job of replicating the story as well.
Verity Hunt-Ballard embraces her character magnificently and shines as Mary Poppins, while theatre stalwarts Philip Quast and Marina Prior work together brilliantly as the hard-working George and Winifred Banks.
The children who play Jane and Michael also do a superb job in what will no doubt be the biggest role of their young careers.
But the real star of the show is the super-talented Matt Lee, who absolutely nails the role of unofficial narrator and chimneysweeper Bert.
Whether he’s tap-dancing upside down on the roof of the theatre, maintaining his jolly accent or effortlessly switching from actor to dancer, Lee makes the character his own.
Throw in some mindbending choreography (most notably the avalanche of dance moves in 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Step In Time'), near faultless musicianship and some supercolourful sets, and you have a production which theatre lovers and kids will find is Practically Perfect in nearly every way.
© Shepparton News
