“Mary Poppins” was written by P.L.Travers, a native Australian who spent most of her life in England. Disney made an entrancing movie, with Julian Fellowes adapting the story for the stage with the award-winning Sherman Brothers supplying the music and lyrics. Their delightful music and words fascinated and gave the world a charming gift.
The songs – once heard – never seem to leave the head and long after you have left the theatre you find yourself humming the music. They wrote “It’s a Small World” for Disneyland and I defy anyone visiting that ride at Disneyland to not recirculate that song days after getting home.
Few musicals transfer well from movie to stage and vice versa: “My Fair Lady,” “The Sound of Music” and “West Side Story” are classic successes of theatre to movie.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh of “Les Miserables,” “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera” fame, successfully transferred “Mary Poppins” into a mega award-winning and long-running stage production. Nine of the original 13 songs are in the stage version with songwriters George Styles and Anthony Drewe adding delightful new numbers to supplement the original Disney score.
Songs like “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “A Step In Time” are just a few of the charming songs with fascinating choreography by Matthew Bourne, who at one point has Bert dancing upside down. Of course, Mary Poppins flies in and out with her umbrella held high into Bob Crowley’s amazing sets with colorful costumes that, at times, steal the show.
Director Richard Eyre moves his people with a soft touch at breakneck speed. (This seems to be a gentler production of some of the plot lines than the original London musical.)
A talented, energetic Broadway touring company keeps this show moving at an enjoyable pace that leaves a feel good effect on the audience.
“Mary Poppins” is the story of an efficient, over-the-top nanny with magical powers who travels with the winds by umbrella. She lands in the 1940 London home of the Banks, a family in need of a nanny for their two bratty children whose main aim in life is to see how fast they can get rid of any nanny hired. Mary Poppins comes on the scene to straighten out all the problems while singing and dancing with her friend, Bert, a chimney sweep who charms everyone he sees. Sounds silly, perhaps, but it delivers an evening of fun and pleasure for adults and kids alike.
A spoonful of “Mary Poppins” goes down in the most delightful way.
Where: Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd., San Jose
Through: June 10
Details: (408) 792-4111 or www.broadwaysanjose.com.
