First Melbourne review: Mary Poppins musical

Mary Poppins needed her umbrella to face Melbourne’s erratic summer weather— but rain didn’t dampen the spirits of opening night celebrations.

Marina Prior as the Bird Woman the Mary Poppins musical at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Picture: David Crosling

Mary Poppins definitely needed her umbrella in the face of Melbourne’s erratic summer weather on Friday.

However, sudden downpours, followed by sunlight bursts, grey cloud cover, then more threats of rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the Disney musical’s opening night celebrations at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Indeed, this supercalifragilistic spectacular was the perfect tonic to the gloom overhead.

The Mary Poppins musical, based on the beloved P.L Travers’ books, and classic 1964 film starring Julie Andrews, is a story about family, and forgotten priorities.

The magical nanny, played to prim and proper perfection by Stefanie Jones, helps the trapped and traumatised ­George Banks (Tom Wren) realise the important things in life, and teaches his children, Jane and Michael, the value of kindness, charity, imagination and change.

The radiant Jones commanded the spotlight effortlessly with poise, posture and plum-in-the-mouth pronunciation.

Mary Poppins was supercalifragilistic spectacular. Picture: David Crosling

Stefanie Jones, who plays Mary Poppins, commanded the sportlight effortlessly with poise, posture and plum-in-the-mouth pronounciation. Picture David Crosling.

Former So You Think You Can Dance winner Jack Chambers, cast as the charming chimney sweep and jack-of-all trades Bert, is the total package – a song and dance man who steals each moment with fluid movement and a cheeky smile.

His gravity-defying solo in Step In Time, part of an 11-minute high-kicking tap-dancing tour de force, was an absolute standout.

Full credit to Jones, too, for keeping up the pace alongside Chambers, in Mary’s tight corset and elaborate costuming.

Other classics — from Jolly Holiday and A Spoonful Of Sugar, to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and the poignant Feed The Birds — were showstoppers.

Youngsters Harriet Adler and Sebastian Sero played Jane and Michael Banks on opening night. The roles will be shared between seven children during Mary’s run in Melbourne.

Casey Donovan. Picture: Sam Tabone

Rob Mills. Picture: Sam Tabone

Harriet and Sebastian hit the right notes, and comedic beats, as kids who want nothing more than a happy home in the form of a caring and attentive father.

Marina Prior is unrecognisable in her dual roles, the charitable Bird Woman, and cruel Miss Andrew. She played the former with warmth and the latter with cold-hearted hilarity.

In fact, most of the women in Mary Poppins are strong figures, including the wonderfully short-fused Mrs Brill (Hannah Waterman) and sassy Mrs Corry (Cherine Peck). By contrast, the men, except for Bert, are caged and constricted by their own rigid rules.

But Mary’s magic has a way, and the message that it’s never too late to change, and more importantly, to live and love, was delivered in the most delightful way.

Star unrecognisable in Mary Poppins musical

Stage favourite Marina Prior — “the perennial ingenue” — has stepped into the spotlight almost unrecognisable as a key character in Mary Poppins.

Prior plays dual roles in the musical: the charitable and kind Bird Woman, and cold and evil Miss Andrew

“It’s fun, really challenging, and I love it,” Prior said. “I love the polar opposites I get to play in this show. As an actor, it’s lovely to disguise yourself in that way, and I’m really hoping people don’t know it’s me.”

Mary Poppins, a Disney musical, based on the beloved P.L Travers’ books, and beloved 1964 film starring Julie Andrews, opens at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Friday. It stars Stefanie Jones as the leading lady, Jack Chambers, Tom Wren and Lucy Maunder.

Marina Prior, who plays the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins, performs Feed The Birds.Thursday, February 2, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

Prior said it was exciting to step away from the type of roles that made her famous.

Her theatre credits include Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, and 9 To 5, but she is best known for playing Phantom of the Opera’s leading lady, Christine Daae, opposite Anthony Warlow and Rob Guest.

“I was the perennial ingenue, heroine, romantic lead. There is a tendency, particularly in this country, to pigeonhole people,” Prior said. “I’m really proud of the roles I’m doing now; they’re gutsy, interesting and age appropriate.”

Anthony Warlow and Marina Prior in The Phantom of the Opera in 1990. Picture: Michael Potter.

Marina Prior at Her Majestys Theatre in 2022. Picture: Nicki Connolly.

She relishes playing the cruel and unloving Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins. “She’s so over the top, ugly and mean,” Prior said. “As an actor, she’s a gift.”

The co-creator of the Mary Poppins musical, British theatre powerbroker Sir Cameron Mackintosh, is in Melbourne to oversee the show before it premieres.

He first staged Mary Poppins in Melbourne in 2009. “Little did I think we would come back with an equally extraordinary cast, here, now, in another fabulous production,” Mackintosh said on Thursday.

Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers (far right) in Mary Poppins. Thursday, February 2, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

Stefanie Joens, as Mary POppins, perfoming Practically Perfect. Thursday, February 2, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

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