Mary Poppins the Musical Should Not be Missed
Why on earth would anyone want to watch a musical about a movie that has been replayed regularly for over half a century now? Good question. But if musicals have survived for this long its purely because of one simple fact. That they do something extremely well which their big screen counterpart simply cannot. Musicals immerse the audience in their environment unlike a movie can enabling the viewer to directly became a part of all the fun, action and drama.
Mary Poppins the musical is no different. Sure it may have an award winning blockbuster Disney movie which preceded it and was the inspiration behind the stage version but this particular musical does something which its big screen version failed to do. It made the audience attending one of its jam-packed show's a part of Mary's enchanted secret world only a select few were aware of and now, the audience, knew her secret along with Jane and Michael and accompanied her with the kids on her fantastic otherworldly adventures.
I had been wanting to see this one for a really long time, but alas couldn't find the time. This holiday season changed that. The only thing left to do was to find Cheap Mary Poppins Tickets which usually sell out days in advance. Thank heavens for TicketVistas. The popular website never ceases to impress. I was able to find a pair of Mary Poppins Tickets for a bargain. It was time to finally watch the show.
To be completely honest originally I had no intention of watching this one. I'm a fan of the movie and I've seen it over a hundred times, well at least a fifty if not a hundred. But my friends who had recently seen the musical wouldn't shut up about how great it was. They seemed like a bunch of ten year olds who just came back from a trip to Disney Land. Naturally that made me curious.
My show was held at the luxurious New Amsterdam Theater in New York City and to say that I was completely blown away by its brilliance would be a huge understatement. THIS SHOW WAS HANDS DOWN THE MOST BRILLIANT PIECE OF BROADWAY I HAD EVER SEEN.
Hollywood Reporter couldn't have been more right when it said, "Elaborate production determined to give full value for the entertainment dollar. Arguably better than the classic movie".
Mary Poppins took all the elements of what makes a musical brilliant and elevated them to a whole new level. The costumes and stage design were breathtaking and did a fantastic job of accurately depicting an Edwardian era Britain. The musical featured the same over-the-top choreography and brilliant music which made its film version a timeless classic. It provides ample opportunities for fantastic chorus work and dance routines which never disappoint for a second and leaves the audience wanting more of those classic songs.
It's pretty clear that the cast and crew have been selected carefully and work like a well oiled machine. There are some elements in the musical which were not previously seen in the movie like a walking statue and ladders rising to the stars which contributed heavily to the overall feel of the show. It was like watching "additional footage" on a collector's edition DVD of a popular movie.
Bottom line is that Mary Poppins the musical is a must watch and presents the beloved P.L Travers books in a brand new way. I'd recommend you take your kids along for this joy ride. They're gonna love it!