CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings


A CurtainUp NJ Review
Mary Poppins
A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down — Mary Poppins
mary poppins
Photo: Elena Shaddow as Mary Poppins (photo credit: Jerry Dalia)
No program credit could have pleased me more than to see Denis Jones listed as the choreographer of the musical Mary Poppins now closing out the season at the Paper Mill Playhouse. The imaginative and delightful dances that Jones has created for this musical stage version based on the classic stories for children by P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film stop the show on more than one occasion. More importantly, they provide the main reason for adults with or without children in tow to see what is not, despite its source, the most captivating of family shows.

I wouldn't go as far as Travers herself did and express total disdain for what the film's adapters did to the titular character's more hard-edged personality or express any real reservation about the still too-warm-for-comfort English nanny envisioned by the otherwise brilliant stage adapter Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey .)

Being fair to Mary Poppins as she flies (Flying by Foy) into Edwardian England with her transporting umbrella and in her charming era-defining garb designed by Leon Dobkowski, she is niftily personified by the appealingly stern Elena Shaddow. Once on solid ground, Shaddow's unquestioned authority becomes beguiling and as welcome as is her lovely soprano voice which takes flight with the mostly forgettable songs composed for the stage version by George Stiles and Anthony Drew. Audiences will still respond more favorably to the familiar and unforgettable ones written by the film's composers the Sherman Brothers — Robert B. and Richard M.

As a rather inexplicably unsettled spinster with magical powers who can't seem to decide whether to stay or leave the two children, Shaddow takes charge of her charges with an air of dedicated insouciance. She also engages willingly in the well-populated frolics that will surround her.

Unlike the film, the stage version seems like an awkwardly assembled hodgepodge of production numbers that seem uneasily integrated into the story about unruly children in a joyless home. Around them is an assortment of incredulously cartoonish characters whose antics are less amusing than the close to animated scenery that is the masterful creation of designer Timothy R. Mackabee.

Nothing that happens really jells or makes sense in a show that is short on surprises and much too long at 2 hours and 40 minutes. As efficiently directed by Mark S. Hoebee, the show offers sufficient musical and visual pleasures to keep one awake.....not so sure about children under 10.

The huge and terrific dancing ensemble's supporting principals are especially well cast. Mark Evans, as Bert the dancing chimney sweep whom we are given to believe maintains an on-going crush for the clearly disinterested Poppins. He disarmingly drives the narrative but mostly wins our approval with his loose legged dancing. His signature song —" Chim Chim Cher-ee-ing "— is charmingly distributed throughout the show. He also leads the ensemble through such high spirited numbers as "Let's Go Fly a Kite," the thrillingly danced "Step in Time" and the astoundingly complex " Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" in which the audience becomes a willing participant.

At the performance I saw Abbie Grace Levi and John Michael Pitera were winning as the spoiled but spunky Banks children. As Mrs. Banks, Jill Paice kept a stiff upper lip in the face of Adam Monely's stiff-necked countenance as Mr. Banks. Liz McCartney is wickedly witchy as the disciplinarian Miss Andrew and touching as the Bird Woman. Mary Poppins is ultimately a show that takes flight just as we begin to feel grounded. No complaint here.






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PRODUCTION NOTES
Mary Poppins
Book by Julian Fellowes (based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film) Original Music & Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman. New Songs and Additional Music & Lyrics by George Stiles & Anthony Drewe. Co-created by Cameron Mackintosh.
Choreography by Denis Jones
Directed by Mark S. Hoebee

Cast of Principals: Elena Shaddow (Mary Poppins), Mark Evans (Bert), Adam Monley (George Banks), Jill Paice (Winifred Banks), Abbie Grace Levi alternates with Madi Shaer (Jane Banks), John Michael Pitera alternates with Maddox Padgett (Michael Banks)
Scenic Design: Timothy R. Mackabee
Costume Design: Leon Dobkowski
Lighting Design: Charlie Morrison
Sound Design: Randy Hansen
Music Director: Meg Zervoulis
Production Stage Manager: Frank Lombardi
Running Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, N.J.
Performances: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm.
From 05/24/17 Opened 05/28/17 Ends 06/25/17
Review by Simon Saltzman based on performance 05/28/17


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