Spit-Spot-Spic and Span

[Nathan_Lane_Rules!]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 10:16pm

Mary Poppins
10/22

:::SPOILERS::::

I loved this show.

It began with a short Chim Chim Cher-ee prolouge with mostly new lyrics that perfectly set the scene for me. It continued with a relativly bland number, Cherry Tree Lane Part 1, in the Banks house with the servant staff, the parents and Katie Nanna. It did although set up for the future of the show. It continues with the Sherman Brothers' The Perfect Nanny which was perfectly performed byt the two children. (I sorry, I can't remember which actors played the parts) Cherry Tree Lane Part 2 was performed in the same bland syle of the first. The show really picks up with Practically Perfect which was practically pefectly performed by Laura Michelle Kelly. I was really suprised how much I like the new music. Next, was Jolly Holliday which really showed off Matthew Bourne's amazing choreographic skills. THe idea of the scuptures coming to life was brilliant. I was afraid that they were going to have farm animals. Next, was A Spoonful of Sugar. They made a serious effort in this show to not try to recreate what was already practically perfectly. Every Sherman Brother song was set in a different place and at a different time in the story line. I some cases, like Jolly Holliday, I liked the new interpretations, but in A Spoonful of Sugar I think that it would have been more effective if they tried to recreate the scene in the nursery instead of the kitchen. It was still a fun song and it showed off Kelly's incredible voice. Feed The Birds. Again, I think that it would have been more effective if Mary is just singing in the nursery and the birdwoman is shown in front of St. Pauls. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! I loved how they spelled out the letters with their bodies and went so fast with all of them! Again, this number showed Matthew Bourne's amazing choreography. Then, during the scene when Michael and Jane are fighting and Valentine is suppose to pop out of the dollhouse, there was a long awkward pause and then a man over the loud speaker annouced, " There are technical problems, we will continue in a few minutes" and they dropped the saftey curtain as fast as I've ever seen a curtain drop ever. Jane and Michael both stayed in character. At intermission I asked the usher about it and he says that Valentines lever in the dollhouse doesn't always weork. He said about 1/4 of the performances they have to stop. They opened the curtain about 3 minute later. They continued perfectly, but I must admit that in ruined the magic for me from then on I was looking for technical problems. The next song was Temper, Temper. I did not like this song. Don't get me wrong I was glad that they added dark elements to the show, but I think that this song was a little far fetched. I was like something out of Evildead. I think that the way they ended act one well with Mary Poppins leaving was good. I think that they did the best that they could do saying that the story doesn't have a definite break in it. I like the way that act 2 opened with Mrs. Banks having a surprise and everybody thinking that it was Mary Poppins when in was Ms. Andrew, Mr. Banks wicked out nanny that he speaks highly of. She sings Brimstone and Trecle perfectly for the character that she is trying to portray. After Jane and Michael run away and run into Bert, when they are suppose to come on stage to sing Let's Go Fly a Kite we waited forever to come on. It must of been at least 2 minutes which in theater minutes seemed like 45. Also I wasn't sure if there was suppose to be a big project Welcome light on the stage from Supercalifradulisticexpialidocious. Let's Go Fly a Kite was breaty and I love the way how Mary Poppins grabbed the kite as she decended from the sky. One of my favorite scenes in the show was Brimstone and Treacle Part 2 in which Mary poppins uses her powers make he drink the Cod Liver oil and make her go into the cage and how at the end of the number she slides up the banister. It was a great dark part of the show. Step in Time. The best dancing number in the show. It was mostly traditional tap , but also had many otyher creative steps. I loved how Bert walked up the walls! I think that the best overall number was Anything Can Happen. It is a great song with great dancing and great singing. I thought that Mary flying out into the audience was a great way to end the show. I wonder how she avoids people looking up her dress?

I feel that this show satified the lover of the books and the movie. They didn't trry to recreate the movie which I was happy about. The movie is classic and every to sequence to every person in the world is perfect the way it is. It was hard tfor me to totally enoy this show because of the two serious techinal errors, but all around this is a great show which teaches a great lesson...

Nobody is practically perfect in every way.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 10:23pm

This may be a bad thing to admit, but technical difficulties secretly thrill me. If I wanted perfect, I'd go to a movie. It's the mistakes that really bring the live element home to me.

[Nathan_Lane_Rules!]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 10:27pm

What I found amazing is how both times not only the adult actors, but the children stayed 100% character.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 5:54am

I have to say that all the children I've seen in Mary Poppins have been professional and composed - easily the best in the West End