Mary Poppins Taken On An Evolution Under Michael Cassel, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh - Noise11.com
Jack Chambers as Bert at Mary Poppins The Musical photo by Darren Boud

Jack Chambers as Bert at Mary Poppins The Musical photo by Darren Boud

Mary Poppins Taken On An Evolution Under Michael Cassel, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh

by Paul Cashmere on February 5, 2023

in News

When you have a classic like ‘Mary Poppins’, the challenge for the producers is how to make to relevant to a new audience while maintaining the charm the older fans will be coming back to see.

Cameron Mackintosh’s first Australian production of ‘Mary Poppins’ was over decade ago in 2011. That production kept to the movie outline with the focus on Mary, Bert, the songs and the children. It brought the animation of the original Disney movie to life on the stage. This production matures brand.

Mary Poppins the Musical photo by Daniel Boud Mary Poppins the Musical photo by Daniel Boud

The producers are smart. Since 2011, a 2023 audiences has been treated to new technology in theatre and what I’d call “The Harry Potter phenomenon”. A lot of the younger audience coming to this show would have been introduced to live theatre through the Harry Potter shows. ‘Mary Poppins’ 2023 has risen to the challenges of new theatre technology and a new audience read the room correctly.

‘Mary Poppins’ 2023 is a darker production than the previous one. It makes an excellent transition for the Potter audience’s experience in live theatre. This show is grown-up Disney. Gone are the dancing penguins, replaced with a dancing statue. It’s a sign that Disney is adapting to the cultural relevance of the 21st century audience as seen on Disney+ with the scheduling of shows like ‘Pam and Tommy’, ‘Fleishman Is In Trouble’ and ‘Pistol’. Disney is no longer Nickelodeon.

Mary Poppins The Musical photo by Daniel Boud

While the ‘Mary Poppins’ story remains the same, the focus has changed more towards the Banks family. In this production, the songs support the storyline, instead of the other way around in the previous production and movie.

The Sherman brothers classics were such a large part of Mary Poppins. Everyone knows ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’, ‘Spoonful of Sugar’, ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ and Chim Chim Cher-ee’. They are ingrained into us all. They are all here and Poppins ’23 maintains its link with the past but with a relevant currency.

Australian theatre royalty Marina Prior is magnificent with the dual role of the Bird Woman and Miss Andrew. Jack Chambers as Bert and Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins give the characters a different personality, away from the cartoonish characters of previous productions. Tom Wren as George Banks and Lucy Maunder as Winifred Banks have heightened roles as their characters are more amplified than before.

We are extremely lucky in Melbourne. We have more theatre than any other city in the country. Melbourne attracts the best productions in the world at any given time. When shows like ‘Mary Poppins’ are in Melbourne you know you are experiencing the finest theatre in the world.

Mary Poppins is playing at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre until 30th April, 2023.

Marina Prior in Mary Poppins The Musical photo by Daniel Boud

Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Joe Camilleri Apia Good Times 2021 photo by Noise11
Joe Camilleri’s Vintage Guitar Collection Stolen

Joe Camilleri’s home in regional Victoria has been broken into and the thief has taken nine of his prized guitars.

2 days ago
Julian McMahon in The Surfer 2025
Julian McMahon Dies At Age 56 After Private Battle With Cancer

Australian actor Julian McMahon has died at the age of 56 after a private battle with cancer.

2 days ago
Dog Trumpet Live Forever
Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty Go Track By Track Through Dog Trumpet’s ‘Live Forever’

On 11 July 2025 Dog Trumpet will release their ninth album ‘Live Forever’.

3 days ago
Colin Hay performs at the Recital Centre in Melbourne on 11 February 2018. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Colin Hay To Release Man @ Work Volume 2

Men at Work’s Colin Hay has made a sequel to his 2003 solo album ‘Man @ Work’ where he re-recorded his Men At Work and solo songs.

3 days ago
Russell Hitchcock Take Time
Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply Solo Album ‘Take Time’ To Be Reissued

Russell Hitchcock’s second solo album ‘Take Time’ will have a limited reissue through MelodicRock Classics.

4 days ago
John Paul Young One Foot In Front
John Paul Young’s Long Out of Print ‘One Foot In Front’ To Be Reissued

‘One Foot In Front’, John Paul Young’s long unavailable 1983 album, is getting a re-release through Andrew McNeice’s MelodicRock Classics.

4 days ago
Crowded House perform at Rod Laver Arena 10 December 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
More Crowded House Red Hot Summer Shows Sellout

The Crowded House Red Hot Summer shows are doing fast work around Australia will four shows on the tour now sold out.

5 days ago