REVIEW: Mary Poppins at Sunderland Empire

Sunderland Empire has a visitor who is practically perfect in every way this month. The Disney classic so many of us grew up with, Mary Poppins, is on stage until 25 October. Australian actors Stephanie Jones and Jack Chambers reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert — and, sadly, he’s much better at the accent than Dick Van Dyke. I actually missed the terrible accent!

Stephanie Jones (Mary Poppins).

The show is magical — obviously, it’s Disney! But creating that magic takes a lot of people. Mary Poppins has a huge cast, with Stephanie Jones and Jack Chambers as Mary and Bert; Michael D. Xavier and Sarah-Marie Maxwell as George and Winifred Banks; Oliver Manning and Connie Jones as the children, Michael and Jane; and Emma Harold and Ruairidh McDonald as Mrs Brill and Robertson Ay. There are many, many more — 35 roles in total — and plenty of standout performances throughout.

The set was just as spectacular as the production itself. Rosalind Coombes, Matt Kinley and Isobel Nicolson did an incredible job adapting the film for the stage. The Banks’ home, a movable 3D set piece drawn in 2D style, looked fantastic, and the lighting really brought the story to life.

Jack Chambers (Bert), Charlie Donald (Michael Banks), Florence Swann (Jane Banks), Sharon Wattis (Mrs Corry)

This show is perfect for anyone who grew up with the film and wants to revisit the magical world of Mary Poppins — and for children experiencing it for the first time. The young audience members were dancing in their seats to the songs. For a night of family fun, head to Sunderland Empire before 25 October and be transported to Cherry Tree Lane to Step in Time!

Mary Poppins brings all the film’s magic to the stage (minus the penguins — sorry to anyone hoping for them!). The famous bottomless bag makes an appearance, with Poppins pulling out a hat rack, mirror and clock; there’s a magical park adventure; and of course, lots of flying.

Some songs from the original film have been replaced with 12 new numbers, but don’t worry — the favourites are all still there, including A Spoonful of Sugar, Chim Chim Cher-ee, Step in Time (my favourite) and of course, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (harder to write than to say!). In this version, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious introduces a new character: Mrs Corry, played wonderfully by Sharon Wattis. She’s a delight — colourful, funny, and full of life, with a bright orange wig and dress designed by Bob Crowley, and styled by Helen Keane. Mrs Corry runs the “talk shop,” where you buy conversation and words — and where Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is created by Mary Poppins herself.

Mary Poppins runs at Sunderland Empire until 25 October. Tickets are available from the box office or at www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire.