Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins was originally a Disney film, based on a book, and the magic required for nannies to fly and make things appear and disappear was much easier to achieve in that medium. Transferring this to the stage presented challenges, but Babirra met them head on.

A lot of this was achieved with projections on a scrim. There were a lot of scenes which would usually be played in front of the curtain while scenes were being changed, but these all had a background, and one which could change quickly, particularly when required to lead into the next scene as the scrim rose.

This was particularly useful in the thunderstorm scene as you could see and hear the rain coming down at a sharp angle. We also saw the steps of St Paul’s and the pigeons flying in for their crumbs.

We first met Angelo de Cata as Bert, the chimneysweep/odd job man. His easy manner, cheeky grin, pleasant singing voice and excellent dancing skills made this pivotal role a delight. Equally good was Stephanie John as the no-nonsense nanny. Looking very prim and proper, she had an excellent voice and enviable dancing skills as well. She commanded the stage.

Experienced performers Richard Thomas and Megan Coe were the parents who struggled to cope with their family and situation. Both were excellent and Megan was particularly touching in “Being Mrs. Banks”. As the other nanny, Miss Andrew, Lizzie Matjacic was a tower of strength, while Jennifer Biggs and Jamie Giddens were very funny as the other servants.

Eryn Saunders and Elliot Shute, Megan’s son, were the two children and very confident and worked well with the adults. The ensemble was high energy and the choreography exciting and tight. The lighting was very effective, the sound excellent and the orchestra in fine form.

This was an excellent production.

Graham Ford