I enjoyed MARY POPPINS in London. It's not fantastic, but it's a solid show - not exceptionally theatrical like THE LION KING, but more creative then BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. I actually appreciated that the show was not a carbon copy of the movie, and that it went back to the books.
That said, I thought the show focused too heavily on the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Banks, leaving the character of Mary Poppins, oddly enough, a rather supporting role.
The new songs were fun, though not extraordinary. The cast uniformly strong but not astounding.
I don't know that I'd rush to see it again, but in the grand pursuit for family entertainment on Broadway, you can't ask for too much more. Obviously, this is going to be a sensation on any stage it plays -- and indeed it will play for decades to come.
And to answer the question -- Fall, 2006 is what I've heard for a tentative Broadway opening.
I bet it will end up at the Broadway or the Imperial.
Updated On: 3/26/05 at 02:00 AM