Review: MARY POPPINS at Harlequin

Reviewed by Sharon Fogarty

Disney's Mary Poppins is a musical based on the classic stories of P.L.Travers and the Walt Disney Film of the same name. The title role, played by Julie Andrews in the 1964 film is arguably one of the most recognisable in musical theatre history with the iconic silhouette of hat, carpet bag and umbrella in the sky. The score itself is riddled with countless hits that have stood the test of time- 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', 'A Spoonful of Sugar' and 'Step in Time' to name but a few. 

Harlequin Musical Theatre have taken on this classic tale with gusto. Director Robin Lane has assembled a cast and crew that work seamlessly to tell a story of family, imagination and heart to capture the audience's attention. With Andrew Christie's band never missing a beat in the rich score, the actors are free to command the space with ease. The set is minimal and effective, moving quickly from scene-to-scene to enhance the flow of the story. It is clear that choreographer Karen Ruske, has been drilling the dances for a long time. There is not a step out of place which is difficult to do with a large cast and demanding dances that involve quick and accurate movements. Particular highlights for me were 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Step in Time'. A special mention to dance captain Gemma Scott who plays Nealius- her grace and love of dance is evident every time she is moving on stage. 

The cast is led by Emily Young who plays the title role. To coin a phrase, Emily is 'practically perfect' in this role- in onstage presence, poise and stance she IS Mary. Her vocal prowess sees each song lift to a standard that Julie Andrews would approve of and there seems to be no limit to the top notes in her soprano. I was truly impressed by her portrayal of this character. Simon Chapman (Bert) is a loveable rogue and he works well alongside Young to tell their story. His enthusiasm in this role is endless. Isabella Viljoen and Maxwell Andrews play Jane and Michael Banks with a believability and sincerity that belies their ages. Andrew Warner and Joanne Lindsay as Mr and Mrs Banks were extremely well cast. Warner shows the emotional journey of his character well, singing with depth and power in all his songs. Lindsay shows the journey from subservient 'yes-woman' to boss-lady both in acting and vocal strength. A highlight for me was Cindy Jonkers portrayal of Ms Andrews. Bitter old spinster pours from her facial expressions and body language, you can sense the change in atmosphere when she enters a scene. She is powerful in presence and in vocals with a depth of tone at the lower end of her range and a scarily accurate shriek at the high end and loads of fabulous trills and glissandos in between. 'Brimstone and Treacle' is a scene that resonates long after it has ended!

The costumes are a large undertaking in a show of this size and the team led by Carlyn Collier has been true to the 1964 film version. The props team has worked hard to create the 'magic' of the show- no spoilers here. 

The question everyone wants the answer to is: "Does she fly?". The answer is simply to go and see for yourself. 

This production will appeal to all ages. Tickets are selling fast: