Robert Reviews Mary Poppins- Practically Plodding In Every Way

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 1:39pm

Updated On: 7/21/09 at 01:39 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 1:59pm

Good review...but 2 years too late?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 2:01pm

Robert Taylor, when did you see it?

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 2:01pm

There's a first time for everyone, even if it's two years too late.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 2:04pm

Oh, okay...just curious because I have no clue why Tag made that comment.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 2:37pm

Yeah, I don't either.

I'm visiting NYC and seeing shows that have been open for awhile, but I'm seeing them for the first time. Do reviews actually have a time limit or something? lol

[Tag]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 3:25pm

It just seemed very opening night-ish.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 3:27pm

Why was it opening night-ish? Because it is well written and articulate? No need for the rudeness right away, for no reason Tag.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 5:20pm

Thanks wicked_beast4

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 5:22pm

very articulate, thanks!!

[legallysam]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 5:25pm

What you said may have come across as a rude comment, but i can see where your comign from Tag. Robert it was a very good review (even if i disagree with it!) but i think the reason it sounded first nightish was because of all the background information that was put in, as though you were describing it to us because we didnt know the background of Mary Poppins the Musical.

[BradMajors]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 5:34pm

I enjoyed your review Robert. I do agree with most of what you've written. I also found MARY POPPINS a bit long and felt that it was totally unnecessary to tinker with the Sherman Brothers classic songs from the original film.

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS was one number that was excruciatingly painful to sit through, not only because of what they did to it but that woeful choreography that went along with it which reminded me of that cornball arm choreography people have a tendency to break into whenever the Village People's YMCA is played. I loved the performances.

I found Brown engaging and Lee out-of-this world terrific. The new songs were okay but for me not one stood out. But there is still alot to recommend in the production, it's values are top notch and overall it's not the worst I've seen on the Great White Way.

Thanks again for your review.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 6:23pm

It is a great review and well written. However, I disagree with it. I do think that out of all the Disney shows Mary Poppins is my favorite.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 6:26pm

Haven't read your review, just popped in to say that I call it "Messy Poppins".

[James885]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 8:17pm

I liked Mary Poppins when I saw it. True, the show could probably stand to lose about 10-15 minutes, but I thought it was very entertaining. It's not as good as The Lion King but it stands head and shoulders above The Little Mermaid and Tarzan.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 9:25pm

You're kidding, right?

Feed the Birds is one of Disney's most popular songs...EVER. Not to mention, a personal favorite of MR. Walt Disney's (from any movie until his death).

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 10:05pm

Personally, and also in oue culture as a whole, I think that "Feed the Birds" is, while certainly entertaining, not the first, second or even third (maybe fourth, maybe fifth) song you identify with "Mary Poppins."

The first, of course, is "Super..."
Second would be "Spoonful of Sugar"
Third and fourth would be either "Step in Time" or "Chim chim cher ee', depending on your tastes.
Fifth would probably be "Jolly Holiday" or MAYBE "Feed the Birds"

So many classic songs...one film. I concede that the song is good, of course, but one of Disney's most popular and memorable songs ever? I humbly disagree...and it also didn't get used in "On the Record," which claimed to use "all your favorite Disney songs in one show."

Just my opinion...you are welcome to yours as well, of course.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 10:56pm

You say "it didnt get used in On The Record" like that all the songs on there are justified as Disney's most popular tunes.

Seriously, right now, if anyone can hum me three bars of:

Look Out for Mister Stork, Minnies Yoo-Hoo, or Will the Sun Ever Shine Again without having memorized this recording, I'll be a mouse's uncle.

Julie Andrews herself selected it as a "favorite" on her Julie Andrews selects her favorite Disney Songs.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:03pm

Well, I can, but I love "On the Record."

Look, I'm glad you like the song and think it is very popular. You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I'm sure you are over the moon that it escaped the garden shears for the Broadway Show.

But for me, it's one of the less memorable melodies (I did not say anything about popularity in my review, and that is all my opinion).

Besides, the comment had little to do with the overall theses' of the review...I'd prefer to argue about those...

[winston89]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:10pm

I do think that Feed The Birds is a popular tune from the movie. I don't think it is as popular as something like Spoonful of Sugar or Jolly Holiday but I still think it is popular nonetheless.


Just because something isn't on On The Record does not mean that it isn't a popular Disney song. They just say that it is full of all of your favorite Disney songs as a selling point. It doesn't really mean anything.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:11pm

"The Banks house in Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s theatrical version of “Mary Poppins” is a wonder to behold."

Actually, it's architecturally very funny. As I recall, there's a partial stairway that can't be accessed, and for a good laugh, try to imagine what it looks like from the outside based on the positioning of walls, windows, etc.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:11pm

There is no debating that "Feed the Birds" was Walt's personal favorite song from any of his films. This is a known fact and has been written about repeatedly. From his biography...

Walt assigned the Sherman brothers, Richard and Robert, to write the songs for Mary Poppins. They returned in two weeks with sketchy versions of five songs that would eventually find their way into the film, including Feed the Birds and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Walt liked them, especially Feed the Birds. He decarled, "that song will replace Brahms' Lullably. He confessed to crying every time he heard it, and wrote numerous times that it was his favorite song

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:15pm

The writers and producers have made the decision to adhere the musical closer to the Travers’ books. In other words, Mary is meaner and the show is darker. And that is the musical’s first mistake.

I'm actually fine with this since that's what Travers wanted and actually refused the stage rights several times until Mackintosh agreed with her that the musical needed to be a closer adaptation of the novel. It's well known that Travers did not like the Disney movie and I like to think that the stage production is a sort of apology to her even if it is a little too late.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 1:39am

Who the hell cares what she wanted? No one would even still know her name if it weren't for Disney's superior film.

I think the show stinks, and wrote about it here, when I saw it during it's opening month in London.

As for Feed the Birds, it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and easily the best tune in Mary Poppins.