Mary Poppins, Birmingham Hippodrome, Weds 23 July, until Sat 23 August 2025 then on tour, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.

Mary Poppins, Birmingham Hippodrome, Weds 23 July, until Sat 23 August 2025 then on tour,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.

“A big show with a big heart.”

The stage version of Mary Poppins is an impressive achievement; it takes a very much-loved and iconic film as it’s starting point, retains everything that makes the film so wonderful, and gives us more. OK, so there are no dancing penguins, but apart from that, we get more spectacle, more music, more dancing and, most importantly, a deeper, richer and more fulfilling emotional story-arc at its heart.

The 2013 film, ‘Saving Mr Banks’, about the genesis of the film, postulates that Mary Poppins is a vehicle through which P. L Travers works through her “Daddy issues”, and that Mr Banks is the cypher for this process. It is, therefore, one of the film’s weaknesses that, despite the excellence of David Tomlinson in the role, Mr Banks disappears for much of the running time and only registers significantly at the beginning and end.

The stage version rectifies this. Mr Banks is a presence throughout, we get a lot more backstory, and it is the growth of this character that ultimately repairs the fracture at the heart of the family. Michael D. Xavier’s Mr Banks is engaging and compelling. He gives us flashes of pain and vulnerability through the bombast and bluster of his earlier scenes. He beautifully portrays the collapse of the man’s artifice and portrays his repair and recovery with warmth and humanity.

This is one exceptionally fine performance among many. Indeed, it is hard to find fault with any of the cast. Stefanie Jones, in the titular role, captures all of her character’s whimsical contradictions, and manages to integrate them into a complete and oddly believable whole. Her vocal technique is impressively poised.

Jack Chambers as Bert is Mary’s perfect foil. An effortlessly charismatic performer, he imbues Bert with charm and a certain magic and mystery of his own. His dancing is off the scale, even when tap dancing upside down! The children are utterly adorable and completely convincing. And then there’s Patti Boulaye! For heaven’s sake! What more could you ask for?!

It’s a big show. Opulent and beautifully designed sets, breathtaking magical effects, and a huge ensemble all contribute to a feeling that the kitchen sink is just waiting to be thrown into the mix. The production numbers are on a scale, of a complexity, and put together with an imagination that, sadly, one just doesn’t see often enough in other musical productions currently doing the rounds.

The show, perhaps a little smugly, tags itself as ‘Practically Perfect’. It’s hard to argue with that.

Cast

Mary Poppins - Stefanie Jones

Bert – Jack Chambers

George Banks – Michael D. Xavier

Winifred Banks – Lucie-Mae Sumner

Mrs Brill – Rosemary Ashe

Bird Woman – Patti Boulaye

Miss Andrew – Wendy Ferguson

Mrs Corry/Miss Smythe – Sharon Wattis

Robertson Ay – Ruairidh McDonald

Admiral Boom/Bank Chairman – David Burrows

Neleus – Cameron Thomas Jones

Miss Lark – Rachael Ward

The Children – Oliver Benson/Charlie Donald/Olive Harrison/Connie Jones/Oli Manning/Joshua Miles/Yvie Moore/Oliver Noble/Katie Ryden/Sienna Sibley

Creatives

Author – P L Travers

Producer & Creator – Cameron MacKintosh

Original Music – Richard M Sherman & Robert B Sherman

Book – Julian Fellows

Additional Musical Material – George Stiles & Anthony Drew

Director – Richard Eyre

Choreographer – Matthew Bourne/Stephen Mear

Scenes and Costumes – Bob Crowley

Lighting – Hugh Vanstone

Sound – Paul Gatehouse