Scotch College. Queen’s Theatre. 8 Aug 2025
In the catalogue of theatre for young people, Mary Poppins is one of those evergreens that never fails to pull an audience. That attraction is assisted of course by the iconic film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke; even in this day and age of Roblox and the like it still holds a fascination with young viewers. The Australian born P.L. Travers’ book series is sadly perhaps, not so well known, but it provides the material that fuels the film and various stage versions.
The stage production has many parents; the music and lyrics were provided by Robert and Richard Sherman, utilising some songs from the film. New songs were added by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe while Julian Fellowes also wrote a book based on, well, a bit of everything.
Its popularity is not to say that it’s an easy production to stage; it’s complex and text heavy, and the musical numbers in the stage production outweigh those in the film. It also requires a large cast to stage effectively, and where better to find them but in a school production? Scotch College have done just this, and have so many contenders that they managed to put on two casts of principals in staggered performances.
The Queen’s Theatre is an odd beast, but its very unstructured nature means that it can be directed to almost any purpose; in this instance a very traditional proscenium arch meant the viewing was sometimes a bit awkward for younger ones on the unraked floor. Behind a side curtain the small orchestra played incognito, the conductor (and Music Director, Martin Cheney) cunningly televised on a small screen high above the audience, ready to cue the performers on stage.
This night Cast 2 took centre stage, opening with Asher Gordon as chimney sweep Bert, aka narrator. From the opening scene, the pace did not let up on this production. Through some 22 songs (plus reprises), the performers displayed an energy and enthusiasm that kept the audience entranced for over two and a half hours.
The story of Mary Poppins has always been a bit magical, a bit fantastical, a bit homespun and this production played up to all of that. Megan Venhoek’s well realised set design was very versatile, with a mezzanine floor that added to the illusion of the London skyline, complete with back projections of chimney pots. The projections changed through the scenes (lovely flights of birds during Feed the Birds, a beautiful rendition from Isabella Buley); a most effective design device (Lighting and Video Design by Stephanie Thompson). And yes, we got to see Mary fly!
Grace Pannel and Harry Geary as Mr and Mrs Banks anchor the story well, reflecting the long suffering parents struggling to acknowledge the changing mores of Victorian England, particularly in terms of women’s growing independence and the changing role of men in the family. Zoe Windle and Poppy Warren (Jane and Michael Banks) are an absolute delight, bringing everything that is at once most appalling and lovable in young children.
And then of course there’s Mary, played on this night by Lucy Stirling. It’s a wonderful character and sometimes difficult to keep in check as she veers from kind to stern, from vain to self-effacing, from private nanny to socialist. Stirling handles this difficult role with aplomb, moving from skilled solo songs to rousing ensemble choruses with ease.
The ensemble itself is to be lauded. Far too many to name check, at times the stage looked like the crowd scene from Ben Hur. The production is elevated by the inclusion of two senior dance troupes, taking the ensemble scenes to a new height. The precision in both singing and dancing, backed by a tightly led orchestra, was remarkable in a cast so young; there are performers here that we will hopefully see and hear again in their more mature years.
The vocal performances were uniformly impressive, a few wobbles here and there and a couple of range issues, but across the board one couldn’t pick a weak link. There were a few sound issues on this night, but to the credit of the performers, they didn’t miss a beat. As noted, 22 songs is no mean feat and the ensemble really stepped up with some of the most rollicking numbers, which of course included Step in Time - the stage literally bouncing with the enthusiasm of the large cast - and of course, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which I only managed to spell here by singing the song!
A special mention must go to Costume Designer Kellie Jones. From maids to sparkling stars, bankers to Greek statues, ragged old ladies to Queen Victoria, the costumes were one delight after another. Just superb.
These productions are often filled out by parents and friends, which is wonderful, but performances of this calibre really should be seen by a wider audience. Get in early for the next production!
Arna Eyers-White
When 8 to 10 Aug
Where: Queen’s Theatre
Bookings: Sold Out
