Mary Poppins

With the combined productional powers of Cameron Mackintosh and the Disney Corporation, Mary Poppins could either have been a complete disaster or a great success. Thankfully, through the use of a top-notch creative team, the production proves to be the latter.

For the few not in the know, the story is set at the turn of the 20th century and follows the Banks family. Jane and Michael make sport out of terrorising the parade of nannies forced on them by their parents, who are too caught up in their own lives.

The children's wish for a kinder governess results in the magical appearance of Mary Poppins, who, through the use of game-playing and imagination, manages to bring the family closer and lead the children to maturity.

The production's greatest success lies in the fact that this is no mere stage musical rehash. Many of the film's memorable songs and scenes are here, but they have been reinterpreted and modified, sometimes radically, and some moments from the original novels have been inserted. The result is a new artistic work that is familiar enough to be recognisable but different enough to become a new experience in its own right.

Director Richard Eyre has created a convincing world where reality and imagination collide. It is well staged and designed, making creative use of set, lighting, costumes and special effects without overly relying on them. Matthew Bourne adds to the wonder on stage with his innovative and challenging choreography.

If there is a problem with the production, it is that there are some slow moments. Book writer Julian Fellowes perhaps could have spruced things up and improved the pace, but he does such a good job in crafting the full production, by not only telling a fresh story but also fleshing out characters, that he is easily forgiven.

The song-writing team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe had the far harder assignment of writing new musical material that could co-exist with the already famed songs created by the great Sherman brothers. That they have not only done so but have in fact written a few numbers that equal the classic songs is impressive.

The characters have been modified a bit. The best change is that Mr. and Mrs. Banks, only supporting players in the film, have now become major three-dimensional components.

Some of the production's best moments belong to these characters, and Martin Ball and Louise Bowden are both wonderful in the parts. Equally good is Daniel Crossley, whose Bert matches Dick Van Dyke's energy and comedic timing (and has a far better and convincing accent). His number Step In Time is the production's highlight, and he revels in it.

And Caroline Sheen makes a very good Mary. She is a bit stricter than Andrews' interpretation, but she still has a nice balance between playfulness and authority. It's easy to believe in the affection the rest of the characters show her.

Mary Poppins may not be a flawless production, but with its highly imaginative staging, excellent ensemble work and theatrical reinterpretation, one could be tempted to use the title of one of the new songs and call this production 'practically perfect'.