Review: MARY DOLL POPPINS, Oran Mor
Mary Doll Poppins runs at Oran Mor until 4 January 2026
This year’s offering for the adults-only winter pantomime at the Oran Mor is Mary Doll Poppins, written and directed by Martin McCormick.
Carys and Harris Clydebanks are two children from the West End of Glasgow who are overlooked by their workaholic, money-obsessed father. They put out a Tiktok video plea for a new nanny, which is received by the magical Mary Doll Poppins (Neil John Gibson). Mr Clydebanks is threatening to cancel Christmas, will Mary Doll manage to make him see the error of his capitalist ways and save Christmas for the weans?
Mary takes the children on a tour of Glasgow town, opening the Clydebanks’ eyes as to what lies beyond the West End. Carys (Louise Haggerty) and Harris (Karen Fishwick) actually get off their phones for a change and soak in what Glasgow has to offer.
The songs are a Glaswegian twist on the original classics; “Feed the Birds” becomes a tale about sports socks and there’s an opportunity for everyone to join in with a country-themed number at the end. One of the things that’s nice about the Oran Mor panto is watching adults join in with reckless abandon and not for the sake of small children.
Carmen Pieraccini is the standout performance as Mr and Mrs Clydebanks. She brings a really fun element of menace to the baddie and switches effortlessly between roles.
A couple of the jokes are done to death and grow a bit tired but an exceptional one about the National Theatre of Scotland, unfortunately, doesn’t land. There are puns aplenty and some pretty clever wordplay, and the hour-long run time ensures it doesn’t outstay its welcome.
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