Mary Poppins: A Lark... A Spree...

By: Michael Dale Nov. 24, 2006

Musical theatre lovers who like their leading characters emotionally aloof and commitment-phobic can now enjoy a worthy companion piece to the upcoming revival of Company. Mary Poppins has flown into town in a ravishing production that kicks all that sentimental nonsense about familial closeness into the wings and pushes the heartwarming thrills of good ol' fashioned music hall song and dance fun downstage center. Don't go expecting to see a stage version of the movie, but by all means do go.

Yes, 99.999999… percent of the world's population loves the 1964 Walt Disney classic film Mary Poppins but, rather famously, one person who didn't like it at all was the author of the series of books the flick was based on, P.L. Travers, who was said to be both furious and in tears at the Hollywood premiere. Despite having exercised script approval she nevertheless objected to the final cut's use of animation, the sentimentality, character interpretations and pages full of other changes to her original stories.

So when obtaining the stage rights to the books in 1993, producer Cameron Mackintosh, who is billed as co-creator, had to convince Travers that his Mary Poppins, which is still running after two years in London and has now just opened on Broadway, would feature a British nanny more in line with what she had penned; a rather magical spinster who, though devoted to her charges, is nevertheless emotionally remote, self-centered, demanding and a bit of a bully when necessary.

Of course, giving in to Travers' request that an entirely new score be written would not only have been commercial suicide, but would most likely have resulted in angry mobs of torch-bearing playgoers who would burn down the New Amsterdam Theatre at the mere thought of doing away with "A Spoonful of Sugar." And since Disney Theatricals, who owns the rights to the film, was interested in the project as well, a co-producing arrangement was agreed upon, resulting in a musical that contains enough features of the film to be recognizable to non-reading playgoers while remaining in the style of Travers' drawing room comedies for kids.

The resulting piece, like the title character's bottle of medicine, spoons out a different flavored dose with each pour. Bookwriter Julian Fellowes' very funny concoction gives us a plot that mixes the Disney film, the Travers books and a bit of his own invention. The majority of the movie songs by the Sherman Brothers (Richard M. and Robert B.) remain, though most are placed in a new context and include additional lyrics by the team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. (Whichever one thought of rhyming "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with "rocococious" gets a pat on the back from me.) Styles and Drew also provide some Shermanesque songs of their own when needed, and cross the border into Traversland with "Temper, Temper" a comically creepy number where the nanny teaches The Children not to be rude by having their toys stage a revolt against them. The resulting score seems at least a good 50% new and William David Brohn's orchestrations enhance it with real Broadway zing.

But the most striking difference between the Disney film and the Disney/Mackintosh stage show can be found on the perky lips of Ashley Brown, playing the nanny who merrily describes herself with the bouncy tune, "Practically Perfect." The self-satisfied smirky smile she frequently displays to the audience tells us that we're her confidants in this musical lark (or spree, if you prefer) where the silly Mr. Banks will learn that valuable lesson that (gasp!) there are more important things than making money and that poor confused Mrs. Banks may find that her children will be better behaved if she (brilliant!) spends a little more time with them. Pertly brushing aside inquiries as to her personal life and gleefully prancing up the staircase like Carol Burnett spoofing Julie Andrews, Brown is a perfectly charming enigma. The least developed title role in a Broadway musical since Fiddler on the Roof is simply a loveable gust of incorruptible common sense.

Also devoid of any character development is Gavin Lee as the buskerish Bert. Is he in love with Mary Poppins? Why can he hold on to a job? Oh, who really cares? What's important is that anytime there's raucous fun going on center stage, Gavin Lee, a rip-roaring song and dance clown, is smack in the middle of it.

Though the hilarious Ruth Gottschall, as a dementedly Gothic nanny hired to replace Poppins, steals every moment of her time on stage, the services of the dependable Daniel Jenkins and the often sterling Rebecca Luker seem a bit wasted as Mr. and Mrs. Banks. Director Richard Eyre races through their book scenes about how mother, a former actress, is having trouble adjusting to the social responsibilities of being upper middle class and their songs are the least effective of the score's new material. And though I won't reveal the final stage picture, it's all you'll need to confirm that Mary Poppins isn't really a musical about the plot.

Instead, Eyre and choreographer/co-director Matthew Bourne linger with the showier scenes featuring Mary, Bert and the three sets of young actors who alternate performances in the roles of Jane and Michael Banks. Replacing the film's animated penguins with dancing statues, Bourne accompanies "Jolly Holiday" with some luscious ballet. Tap shoes fly vigorously in the show stopping "Step In Time" routine, highlighted by a Gavin Lee bit that is sure to be one of the most memorable moments of the season.

Bob Crowley's set and costume designs are spectacular without stooping to mere spectacle. The gorgeously detailed dollhouse version of the Banks home frames the actors without overwhelming them. The dark and moody drop curtain backing up "Feed The Birds" is quite stunning in its beauty, particularly under Howard Harrison's sumptuous lighting. The dungeon-like bank setting and other impressive work proves that big need not be garish. His costumes are a lovely assortment of Edwardian fashions.

And perhaps it was only my imagination, but I swear that orchestrater Brohn slipped a little inside joke into the very end of the evening. Could someone please confirm if under the last note of the playout music the orchestra is indeed playing the first four bars of Les Miserables' "Do You Hear The People Sing?" Thanks in advance.

Photos by Joan Marcus: Top: Ashley Brown
Second: Gavin Lee and Company
Third: Alexander Scheitinger and Ashley Brown
Bottom: Ashley Brown, Katherine Leigh Doherty, Alexander Scheitinger and Gavin Lee

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