REVIEW: Disney's Mary Poppins, West End (Prince Edward Theatre, London)

(Photo of Zizi Strallen, Charlie Stemp, and the London Revival cast of Mary Poppins - Johan Persson)

Before every show of Disney’s Mary Poppins, a message read by the young actors playing Jane and Michael Banks reminds the audience that singing along to the musical is strongly discouraged, and for about three songs, that rule is followed to the letter. Every song after is a battle to resist bursting into song alongside the ensemble that brings the world of Mary Poppins to life.

And for good reason.

Within it are songs beloved by children and adults around the world, originally composed by the Sherman Brothers, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. From the whimsical ‘Jolly Holiday’, to the emotion-filled ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ and the toe-tapping ‘Step in Time’, there’s something for everyone.

The musical features the tumultuous Banks family from the 1964 movie starring Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke. George Banks, the family’s patriarch, frets about his job and standing at the bank he works at, as well as his wife, Winifred’s, management of their disobedient children, Jane and Michael, who have a remarkable knack for driving away their nannies. A torn-up plea written by the children brings magical nanny Mary Poppins into the picture, who nurtures not just the children, but the entire family into having a more compassionate outlook on life.

In true Disney style, the Mary Poppins musical takes a beloved story and adds a modern sparkle to it with modern technology. With a nifty bit of stage prop magic, Mary Poppins’ ‘bigger on the inside’ carpet bag springs forth mirrors and hat stands larger than the bag itself, to the gasps of delight from the audience. Aerial stunts also feature heavily in the show. Mary flies across the stage at multiple points in the show, flying out into the audience and across the theatre at the end of the show, and Bert walks up and over the side of the proscenium.

(Photo of Charlie Stemp as Bert and Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins - Photo by Johan Persson)

Zizi Strallen shines in the titular role. Not only does she look the part of Mary Poppins, she, in all regards, is Mary Poppins. It’s worth noting that her version of the character received a major overhaul before the production's revival for the UK tour, and later the West End. Described as a ‘cheekier’ version of the character played by so many before her, including Strallen’s own older sister Scarlett Strallen, who’s played the role on Broadway, the West End, and in the Australian tour. With bright vocals and a twinkling sparkle in her eye, Zizi’s Mary Poppins has definitely shed her more ‘prim and proper’ skin, dazzling the audience with practically perfect, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious jaunts through chalk paintings and giant parrot-handle umbrellas in the starry night sky.

Charlie Stemp brings a charming aloofness to the role of Bert, the chimney sweep. A remarkable dancer, he breezes through Bert’s demanding choreography, tackling aerial acrobatics and the show’s many quick-paced numbers with ease.

Also notable was Petula Clark, who played the bird lady.

With rousing, fast-paced numbers like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Step in Time, the practically perfect Mary Poppins continues to be a rollercoaster of fun and hope, ending with a wave of bittersweet sadness as Mary leaves the Banks family – as much as they don’t want her to leave, neither do you.

Run, don’t walk, to get tickets before Mary Poppins flies out of London in January 2023.

Mary Poppins (West End) played its last show at the Prince Edward Theatre on the West End on the 8th of January, 2023.

The Australian production of Mary Poppins plays until the end of 2023.