A couple of weeks ago, both me and Jamie went to see Mary Poppins at the Alhambra Bradford, and after having a fantastic time, I thought that I would tell you all about it.
A picture of the Mary Poppins Poster.
Here’s what Mary Poppins say about themselves.
Practically perfect in every Way, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, Observer, Sunday Mirror, Mail on Sunday, Sunday Express, and Sunday Times.
Cameron Mackintosh and Disneys spectacular production of the classic multi award-winning Musical Mary Poppins is now on a major UK and Ireland tour.
Acclaimed Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert, having both received critical acclaim and nightly standing ovations for their performances in the recent Australian Production.
Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the story of the World’s favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is even more magical than ever before, featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable Songs.
The timeless score includes the classic Songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed the Birds, with new Songs and additional Music and Lyrics by the Olivier Award-Winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
Starring Stefanie Jones, Once The Musical, Muriel’s Wedding The Musical and The Sound of Music, as Mary Poppins, Jack Chambers, Hairspray, So You Think You Can Dance Australia and The Sound of Music, as Bert, Michael D. Xavier, My Fair Lady, Prince of Broadway and Sunset Boulevard, as George Banks, Lucie-Mae Summer, I Should Be So Lucky, Singing In The Rain and Titanic The Musical, as Winifred Banks, Rosemary Ashe, Les Misérables, Oliver and The Phantom of the Opera, as Mrs Brill, and Patti Boulaye, Carman Jones, Hair and Sundance as Bird Woman.
What happened when I went to see Mary Poppins at the Alhambra Bradford.
Once we had finally arrived in Bradford, and had been for something to eat, we eventually headed to the Alhambra Bradford, which is located next door to Bradford Live on Morely Street in Bradford City Centre..
Then once we had walked through the Accessibility Entrance Doors by the side of the massive building, we were very kindly greeted by a really nice Man who said hi and took our Tickets. We said hi back, and after a couple of seconds of us all chatting, he gave us our Tickets back and said that he hoped that we enjoy the Show. He then passed us over to another really nice Man who guided us to our Seats as I had inadvertently booked the only Accessible Performance of the week, and after weaving in and out of all the different rows of Seats, he eventually showed us to some really comfy Seats that were right in the middle of the Front Row opposite the Stage.
Then after we had gotten comfy and had been chatting for about ten or so minutes, a really loud recording of a Boy and a Girl welcomed us to the show and reminded us to turn our Phones off before the show eventually started.
What I thought of the Show.
It’s opening.
I really liked that they opened the show with Bert singing a very atmospheric version of Chim Chim Cher-ee, as I thought that it introduced us to most of the Characters that we would see throughout the Show
Everyone’s performances.
I really liked everyone’s performances, as I thought that they all embodied the mix of people that you would probably find in an upper middle-class House in 1930’s London, from the strict and very emotionally distant George Banks who struggles to relate to his Children, to the very unhappy Winifred Banks who struggles to find her place in the World, to the mischievous and stubborn Michael Banks who just wants his Dad to notice him, to the bright but bossy Jane Banks who can never get her Brother to behave, to the mischievous and no-nonsense Mary Poppins who wants the Children and their Father to be closer, to the mischievous and fun-loving Bert who just wants Mary Poppins to stay, and even the long-suffering and bossy Mrs Brill who just wants the House to be properly run.
I also really liked the chemistry between everyone, as I really believed that George and Winifred Banks loved each other despite George being quite rigid and distant, that both Michael and Jane loved one another despite them both constantly getting on each others nerves, that Mary Poppins and Bert had feelings for one another despite knowing that Mary wouldn’t be around for long, and that Roberson Ay truly cared for Michael and Jane despite him constantly getting in trouble.
Another thing that I really liked was everyone’s accents, as with this being set in 1930’s London everyone had to talk in a very thick Cockney accent, and I thought that everyone pulled it off seamlessly.
The Songs.
I absolutely loved all of the songs, as I thought that they were all performed beautifully, especially some of my favourites including Chim Chim Cher-ee, Perfect Nanny, Practically Perfect, Jolly Holiday, Being Mrs Banks, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed The Birds, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Brimstone and Treacle, and Let’s Go Fly A Kite. But the one that really stuck in my Mind definitely had to be Step In Time, as I thought that it showed just how brilliantly the whole Cast could both Sing and Dance at the same time.
The story.
I really liked the story of Mary Poppins finally getting George Banks to realise that he needs to spend more time with his Family, Winifred Banks not knowing her place in the World before eventually finding it, the Children falling in love with Mary Poppins before realising that they no longer need her, and the slightly evil and demonic Miss Andrews returning to apparently whip the Children into shape but actually tormenting them.
The only thing that I didn’t really like about the Show was that if you’ve seen the original Disney Movie, and who hasn’t seen it?, then like me you’ll probably get confused by the placement of the interval. In my mind it should have been after Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious as that seemed like the natural placement for it, but it’s actually much later in the Show.
Even though it was called a Fantasy Musical, it did have a few sad moments in it, including when Mary Poppins leaves and Miss Andrews returns, when George Banks wouldn’t fly a Kite with Micheal, and when Mary Poppins leaves for the final time.
My overall thoughts.
Overall I would have to rate Mary Poppins an eight point five out of ten. I absolutely loved it and thought that it was a fantastic show that had some dramatic, some funny, and some sad parts to it that was performed brilliantly. The only things that I didn’t really like about it was that it contained quite a few visual only sequences, which with me being Visually Impaired kind of passed me by, and that I thought that the Interval should have been in a different place. But other than that, I thought that it was a brilliant show that I highly recommend everyone go see whilst they still can.
If you would like to find out more about Mary Poppins, including where you can buy your Tickets from, then you can find them online here.
Then once the Show had finally finished, we headed off back into Bradford to catch our Bus.
Have you seen Mary Poppins yet? What did you think of it? What’s some of your favourite Musicals? Please let me know down below.
This Post may contain Affiliate Links, but Posts are not Affiliate driven.
Luke x
