Mary Poppins 12/27/06....spoilers!!!

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 10:25pm

So i got the matinee of mary poppins today....beware of the spoilers!

Overall I thought the individual performances were better than the show as a whole. I thought the scenery was fabulous, but I was so upset how they took a lot of stuff out of the movie and added stuff from the very average books. For example, the statues thing during "Jolly Holiday" was perfectly fine, but everyone is expecting the penguins!

I thought Ashley Brown did a great job as Mary Poppins. Having seen Spring Awakening over the weekend, I must say that I think if it's between Ashley and Lea for the 5th nomination, Ashley should definitely get it!

Gavin Lee also did a nice job as Bert, but honestly, the part seemed so much smaller and much more of a nonevent than it did in the movie. He was terrific during the Fred Astaire tap dancing thing. That was one of the highlights of the show!

I saw Kathryn Faughnan and Henry Hodges at Jane and Michael. I was glad because Kathryn is an old friend (I was in her first show with a British accent! hehe)..I think they both did nice jobs, but the parts really weren't interesting. The script was so blah. At least Michael had some wise guy lines.

Rebecca Luker was good as Mrs. Banks, but again, the part was so blah...She did a perfectly good job, but there was nothing Tony-worthy about it because it was so boring. Throwing in that whole thing about her wanting to be an actress was dumb and random. Why did they take out the votes for women stuff? I did get to meet her because we had a couple of other friends in the ensemble and went backstage. What a sweetheart. I want to be her friend now!!!

Daniel Jenkins was good as Mr. Banks, but I thought he was too strict. There were points I really felt like he was going to beat the kids. The Banks parents were never supposed to be bad people, just out to lunch parents who needed some guidance from Mary Poppins.

The choreography was great, but it was just frustrating how everything was out of place and not in the context we expected it in....how can they take out "I Love To Laugh," the kids ruining the day at the bank, the penguins, the votes for women, the race, "Let's Go Fly A Kite" at the END??

The script was blah and I can honestly see a kid being bored in it. At least the special effects were fun, but the dialogue and accents would have been very boring for a little kid. And yeah, "Temper Temper" would have scared me!!

But at least Mary Poppins flew into the audience. I was in the balcony and this little girl in front of me waved to Mary Poppins as she came up to the balcony and Ashley Brown winked back. I want to be her friend too hehe!

So overall, I enjoyed it, but I was disappointed. Not quite practically perfect.

[kec]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 10:33pm

"For example, the statues thing during "Jolly Holiday" was perfectly fine, but everyone is expecting the penguins! "

Hmmm... when I saw the show in London the first time, I wasn't expecting to see penguins at all. As much as I love the film, I wasn't expecting a carbon copy of it on the stage. I found the talking statues interesting and fun.

[Steve2]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 11:17pm

Thanks for the nice review. I just got back from the 8 PM show and agree with some of what you said. Although I liked Gavin Lee much more than you, I guess. To me, he kind of stole the show as Bert.

Updated On: 12/28/06 at 11:17 PM

[AnythingCanHappen]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 12:35am

If you looked during Jolly Holiday my dear, there was a penguin.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 2:28am

This is a great example of what's wrong with audience members today. If you wanted to see the movie, go rent the movie.

[AnythingCanHappen]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 2:50am

thank you rentboy.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 8:54am

I think Rebecca Luker deserves a nomination for this role. Although it is small, she was really stunning as Mrs. Banks.

...and as good as Ashley is, I think Debra Monk will take the fifth slot for lead actress.

Glad you enjoyed the performances!

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 9:12am

So wait, they took out all the women's rights thing and made Mrs. Banks into an actress-wannabe?

Makes me want to see this show even less...

Glad you enjoyed the show, though! :)

[kec]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:11am

"So wait, they took out all the women's rights thing and made Mrs. Banks into an actress-wannabe? "

Yes, they took out the womens' rights stuff (No "Sister Suffrigette"), but Mrs. Banks is a FORMER actress, not an actress-wannabe.

Steve2, I agree with you about Gavin, he was outstanding in the London production.

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:37am

i didn't want to see the movie, but i think the script in the movie was significantly better...i have nothing against changing things. believe me, i like wicked the show so much better than wicked the movie.....but changing something good into something ehhhhh isn't great.

gavin lee and ashley brown owned their performances....i think rebecca luker was really good, so we'll see....

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 7:44pm

hahahah pengiuns...you've got be kidding..

"I don't understand why they didn't use real singing gorillas in Tarzan!! "

WTF!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 7:51pm

If you looked during Jolly Holiday my dear, there was a penguin.

No there isn't my dear.