Mary Poppins bag effect

Ryguy7 Profile Photo
Ryguy7
#1Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:23pm

Hey there,
How this effect is done onstage is driving me crazy. Where she pulls things out of her carpet bag.
If anyone knows how it's done, can you please private message me with the details.
I'm REALLY curious!!
RY

lite2shine Profile Photo
lite2shine
#1re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:25pm

Spoiler!








There is a hole on the bottom of the bag.

cturtle Profile Photo
cturtle
#2re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:26pm

it's all done with mirrors!

mirrors under the table make it look like the space under the table is hollow, when really it is not.


RIP glebby <3

Ryguy7 Profile Photo
Ryguy7
#3re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:43pm

Hmm..seems a bit too simple - why didn't I think of that!
Regardless, very good effect!
Thanks guys,
RY

jess20882 Profile Photo
jess20882
#4re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:56pm

interesting thought about the mirror effect...but then how is 'michael banks' able to stick his hands and feet uner the table when he's 'inspecting' the bag...?

Yankeefan007
#5re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 6:57pm

Tilted mirrors.

defyingravity11 Profile Photo
defyingravity11
#6re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:09pm

I always thought that certain objects were fed through the window and others were just collapsable and already in the bag. Ah well... mirrors make a lot more sense.


"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott

clarkstallings
#7re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:11pm

When I saw the show, Ashley hadn't gotten the flipping the base of the floorlamp from its profile to horizontal position and did it in the view of everyone.

lite2shine Profile Photo
lite2shine
#8re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:22pm

How about Valentine in the doll house? I know they use a different doll house (compared to the one used in Practically Perfect), and I assume there is a partition within the house, but it still looks tight for a grown man. Is the back of the house actually wide open? It didn't seem that way.

defyingravity11 Profile Photo
defyingravity11
#9re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:23pm

Oh, that reminds me of a question I had! Is the hat rack suppose to collapse when Ashely sets them up? I didn't think so, but maybe they thought it would be funny...


"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott
Updated On: 12/6/06 at 07:23 PM

lite2shine Profile Photo
lite2shine
#10re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:26pm

Yes, both coat rack and lamp collapse.

clarkstallings
#11re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 7:36pm

They use a different house for Valentine and it's also on a squared table as opposed to one with a rounded edge in Practically Perfect.

Katurian2 Profile Photo
Katurian2
#12re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 8:47pm

What about the bed Mary Poppins pulls out of the bag and is later "inspected" by Michael? That one baffles me.


"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

lite2shine Profile Photo
lite2shine
#13re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:03pm

The bed frame springs up from the floor when Jane and Mary are unfolding the bed cover.

The lark in the cage is reverse effect. When Mary turns her back to the audience, she pushes down the lark in the hole of the furniture.

defyingravity11 Profile Photo
defyingravity11
#14re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 9:21pm

The lark effect was slightly dissapointing because I could clearly see it lower into the furniture from the angel of my seat.


"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott

clarkstallings
#15re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/6/06 at 10:15pm

The "magic trick" type effects in this show, while effective were also not as well excecuted as I would have expected given the fact that Jim Steinmeyer was responsible for them. He usually does primo work.

wickedrentq Profile Photo
wickedrentq
#16re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/7/06 at 1:14am

My friend told me about the bags and desperately wanted to know how that was done, so instead of watching any other part of Practically Perfect, I watched the table. I thought it might be a tilted mirror...and kind of got an idea of where the base of it would be...Michael reaches very close to under the table, but not directly under it. Mary's dress never goes completely under the table, so those two things made me think it was mirrors.


"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli

Mistress_Spouzic Profile Photo
Mistress_Spouzic
#17re: Mary Poppins bag effect
Posted: 12/7/06 at 1:27am

I thought the effects in Mary Poppins were top notch! It took me more than one viewing to figure out how some of those things could even possibly be done. Sure destroying a kitchen is easy, but having everything put itself back together is a little trickier.