Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is to play at Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen from February to May 2010. They've re-vamped their website, here's the Mary Poppins pages: http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/

They've also put a couple of costume sketches online. Not head-over-heels in love with them, but I see how they can work on stage: http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/show-selected-mary-poppins/synopsis/

operafantomet wrote:Mary Poppins is to play at Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen from February to May 2010. They've re-vamped their website, here's the Mary Poppins pages: http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/

They've also put a couple of costume sketches online. Not head-over-heels in love with them, but I see how they can work on stage: http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/show-selected-mary-poppins/synopsis/

Thanks for the link! I have to say that I adored the original London production of Poppins, which I ended up seeing five times during its run. It was a beautiful, spectacular production that even made me get tears in my eyes the first time I saw it, believe it or not. The OLC was immensely talented, with Laura Michelle Kelly as Mary, the ridiculously elastic and flexible Gavin Lee as Bert and a star-studded supporting cast including Rosemary Ashe, Jenny Galloway, Linzi Hateley and David Haig!

I was surprised to found I liked it as much as I did. What I loved about the original London production was that, because Cameron Mackintosh was involved, Disney couldn't do what it normally does and just stick the film on stage à la Lion King, which I personally found one big, expensive bore. Because of the wishes of the original author of the books, who hated Disney's film and who after much reluctance gave Cameron Mackintosh the rights to a stage production on condition that it was not the film on stage before she died, they modified it and made it far darker than the supersweet saccharine film (which, despite its flaws, I still love, but not as much as I did love this). Essentially it became the book on stage with some of the film's songs plus brand new songs which had a much more British feel to them. And not one of the original songs was left untouched -- all of them were meddled with and made far darker and more British. This Mary wasn't all spoonfuls of sugar. For example, when the children behave like complete brats, she locks them in the nursery, and the toys came to life and set up a trial in which they condemned the children to rot in h€ll for eternity!

Unfortunately, when sales started to decline in London, Disney forced Cameron to make the show more family-friendly (originally there was a notice saying don't take kids aged under 8 to Poppins), which meant making it much brighter and toning down a lot of the dark stuff. I imagine a lot of that was to do with the fact that Ben Brantley, on seeing the London production, reviewed the show in the New York Times as "Supercalifragilisticdarkrevisionist", saying that the aforementioned scene was "most disturbing" and saying that the bird woman look liked she was raised from the dead and other such stuff (all a bit exaggerated...I certainly wouldn't have been scared by it as a kid...). So unfortunately a lot of the costumes were changed and some scenes cut/modified, and what ended up on Broadway was not the same beast at all. Disney even forced Cameron to change the logo, changing from something that I thought was very classy to the now cheap-and-tacky comic book-style logo (although it is growing on me). The original logo looked like this:



....and now looks like this:




I imagine it feels like a completely different show now. I'd like to see the Broadway production now that Ashley Brown has finally gone (couldn't stand her in the role from what I saw), but at the same time I think I'd like to leave my fantastic memories of the London production intact and pure. Had such good times there -- I spent ages one day talking to Laura Michelle Kelly and Rosie Ashe outside the stage door...never before have London actors seemed so willing to spend SO much time with their fans!

That said, I am very, very tempted to go see it in Copenhagen. Thought it was opening later than that though...not sure I really have time between February and May to go over just for that...

I must admit I'm not familiar with "Mary Poppins" the musical, so this was very intriguing to read. The darker approach sounds perfect to me, although I'm not surprised it was changed. I wonder what they'll do in Copenhagen, but I suspect a children-friendly thing... Would be cool if they took a bolder route, though... But they use the revised logo in their website.

I saw the show in Dallas in September, and I enjoyed it. And, actually, I really liked Ashley Brown. I didn't get to see Gavin Lee, which was disappointing, as I was most looking forward to seeing him, but his understudy was excellent. Not my favorite show by any means, but it was a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Scorp wrote:This Mary wasn't all spoonfuls of sugar. For example, when the children behave like complete brats, she locks them in the nursery, and the toys came to life and set up a trial in which they condemned the children to rot in h€ll for eternity!

I loved that scene, it was my favourite bit in the show! I saw Mary Poppins twice in London. The first time I saw it was about a year after it opened and I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to. The cast were fantastic, especially Rebecca Lock as Mary and Gavin Lee as Bert, and the sets and costumes were brilliant. I thought it was just going to be the movie on stage, so I was pleasantly surprised. I went again just before it closed and I wasn't as impressed. The Mary and Bert weren't as good, and I didn't like how it had been toned down. Maybe I just had high expectations since I had enjoyed it so much first time round.

I've been intrigued by Mary Poppins and I've wanted to see it since it opened just because it was supposed to have a dark edge to it. I didn't know that had been toned down. I guess they will show the light version in Copenhagen then, but I hope not.

Phantomlove wrote:I've been intrigued by Mary Poppins and I've wanted to see it since it opened just because it was supposed to have a dark edge to it. I didn't know that had been toned down. I guess they will show the light version in Copenhagen then, but I hope not.

They will, unfortunately. It's got even lighter now as the aforementioned 'trial' scene has apparently been removed and replaced with some new song called 'Playing the Game', but I've never heard it and not sure I want to.

That said, I'd still go and see it if I were able to go to New York or Copenhagen any time soon...the former because Laura Michelle Kelly has finally gone there (despite the rumours that Cammie and Disney banned her from starring in their shows because she allegedly turned down the opportunity to transfer with the show originally to Broadway alongside Gavin Lee) and the latter because Det Ny Teater is cool.

Let me know if you go see it in Copenhagen... I have a DVD of the documentary that was broadcasted in Britain when the London show was due to open, and it shows you what the show was originally like.

One of the changes I really did not get at all was what they did to 'Anything Can Happen'. The original set for that scene was a cool set of ladders reaching into the stars, which fitted with the song and was also a nod to one of the stories from P L Travers' original books. And then they randomly decided to scrap that and have some strange giant umbrella...WTF? That doesn't make the show 'lighter', so I wonder what possessed them to do it.

Scorp wrote:This Mary wasn't all spoonfuls of sugar. For example, when the children behave like complete brats, she locks them in the nursery, and the toys came to life and set up a trial in which they condemned the children to rot in h€ll for eternity!

The scene that was cut was called "Temper, temper", right? Replaced by "Playing the game"?

Won't get your hopes up, but there IS a scene in the upcoming Copenhagen production called "Rolig, rolig" (which can translate into "temper", "patient" or the like)

THE SONG NUMBERS:
Chim Chim Cher-ee/Kirsebærvej
Den perfekte nanny
Faktisk næsten fejlfri
En særlig herlig dag
Spille Mrs. Banks/Bare hun vil bli
Kom lidt sukker på skeen
Med rettidig omhu
Jeg har en drøm
Kom og gi’ fuglene mad
Superfantafænomænagenialilistisk
Rolig, rolig

Levertran virker
Sæt en drage op
Trin for trin
Jeg har en drøm/Kom lidt sukker på skeen reprise
Intet er umuligt

operafantomet wrote:

Scorp wrote:This Mary wasn't all spoonfuls of sugar. For example, when the children behave like complete brats, she locks them in the nursery, and the toys came to life and set up a trial in which they condemned the children to rot in h€ll for eternity!

The scene that was cut was called "Temper, temper", right? Replaced by "Playing the game"?

Won't get your hopes up, but there IS a scene in the upcoming Copenhagen production called "Rolig, rolig" (which can translate into "temper", "patient" or the like)

THE SONG NUMBERS:
Chim Chim Cher-ee/Kirsebærvej
Den perfekte nanny
Faktisk næsten fejlfri
En særlig herlig dag
Spille Mrs. Banks/Bare hun vil bli
Kom lidt sukker på skeen
Med rettidig omhu
Jeg har en drøm
Kom og gi’ fuglene mad
Superfantafænomænagenialilistisk
Rolig, rolig

Levertran virker
Sæt en drage op
Trin for trin
Jeg har en drøm/Kom lidt sukker på skeen reprise
Intet er umuligt

Oooh, that's interesting...yes, it was called 'Temper, Temper'. I hope they've kept it in!

'Faktisk næsten fejlfri' is the song to look out for if you end up going...in English it's 'Practically Perfect' and it's a great piece of songwriting. Apparently it's the song that got Stiles and Drewe (the new composers) the job once Cameron heard it. What does 'Levertran virker' translate as? Maybe that's 'Brimstone and Treacle'...

And some random Phantom trivia: Stiles and Drewe were the guys who won the prize at the competition where ALW and Cameron spotted Charles Hart when they were scouting around for a lyricist for Phantom (Charles Hart entered the competition but didn't win it).

Scorp wrote:What does 'Levertran virker' translate as? Maybe that's 'Brimstone and Treacle'...

Don't know Mary Poppins all that well, but I would say yes after looking at the English synopsis over at Wikipedia. "Levertran virker" literally means "Cod liver oil works". In Scandinavia all school children was given cod liver oil in the past, either at school or home. It tasted horribly, being rancid and yucky. Modern cod liver oil is rather neutral in taste, but my parents and grandparents could tell horrible tales on the big spoon of yuck they had to swallow - a grand contrast to Mary Poppin's "Spoonful of sugar".

operafantomet wrote:

Scorp wrote:What does 'Levertran virker' translate as? Maybe that's 'Brimstone and Treacle'...

Don't know Mary Poppins all that well, but I would say yes after looking at the English synopsis over at Wikipedia. "Levertran virker" literally means "Cod liver oil works". In Scandinavia all school children was given cod liver oil in the past, either at school or home. It tasted horribly, being rancid and yucky. Modern cod liver oil is rather neutral in taste, but my parents and grandparents could tell horrible tales on the big spoon of yuck they had to swallow - a grand contrast to Mary Poppin's "Spoonful of sugar".

Yep, that's definitely 'Brimstone and Treacle' then. Rosemary Ashe sang that song in the original, she was amazing.

Seeing Mary Poppins on Sunday with Josefine and another musical friend!

Found a short interview with the woman playing Mary Poppins in Copenhagen:
http://www.aok.dk/teater/artikel/kunsten-flyve-med-paraply

Three things revealed: she will fly (duuuh), there will at one point come fire out of her palm, and the actress has tried to combine the sweet Disney-Mary with the stricter book-Mary. Will be interesting to see!

I watched the finale to the 'talent search' for Mary Poppins, and the girl they chose to play Mary is GORGEOUS. Not only that, her voice totally soars as Mary. I think she's going to do quite well.

Have fun seeing it, Operafantomet!

Raving review for "Mary Poppins" at Det Ny Teater, by one of the "important" papers:
http://www.berlingske.dk/scene/mary-poppins-er-ren-livseliksir

"Despite the financial crisis. Sell household possessions to afford to take the whole family to Det Ny Teater. After all, our stay on this earth is so brief, and we have only each other. A spoonful of sugar! Success is brought home. 'Mary Poppins' is pure elixir of life. Something to sing along with until the winds turn and the snow melts. She should keep flying at least that long."


4 of 6 stars in another paper - utterly professional and excellent, but too long and "a spoonful too much":
http://www.bt.dk/underholdning/lige-lovligt-meget-sukker-4-stjerner-til-mary-poppins


But OUCH!!! "Fly to hell, Mary Poppins!" (sic!! ). This reviewer wish the musical would have stayed in London and New York, as it "contains one long, boring song" and is a crappy musical. Coming from one of popular, but less important tabloid papers in Denmark, I'm not too worried about that review... Actually, it was quite amusing to read.
http://ekstrabladet.dk/flash/anmeldelser/diverse/article1301355.ece


Not to worry, though - another important paper (JyllandsPosten) also gave it 6 of 6 stars:
http://kpn.dk/teater/teater/article1983711.ece

operafantomet wrote:Raving review for "Mary Poppins" at Det Ny Teater, by one of the "important" papers:
http://www.berlingske.dk/scene/mary-poppins-er-ren-livseliksir

"Despite the financial crisis. Sell household possessions to afford to take the whole family to Det Ny Teater. After all, our stay on this earth is so brief, and we have only each other. A spoonful of sugar! Success is brought home. 'Mary Poppins' is pure elixir of life. Something to sing along with until the winds turn and the snow melts. She should keep flying at least that long."


4 of 6 stars in another paper - utterly professional and excellent, but too long and "a spoonful too much":
http://www.bt.dk/underholdning/lige-lovligt-meget-sukker-4-stjerner-til-mary-poppins


But OUCH!!! "Fly to hell, Mary Poppins!" (sic!! ). This reviewer wish the musical would have stayed in London and New York, as it "contains one long, boring song" and is a crappy musical. Coming from one of popular, but less important tabloid papers in Denmark, I'm not too worried about that review... Actually, it was quite amusing to read.
http://ekstrabladet.dk/flash/anmeldelser/diverse/article1301355.ece


Not to worry, though - another important paper (JyllandsPosten) also gave it 6 of 6 stars:
http://kpn.dk/teater/teater/article1983711.ece

Thanks for those links!

I see what you mean now---the design is COMPLETELY different! You can see they've based it on Bob Crowley's designs, but I'm disappointed you don't get to see just how amazing the original design was. I thought because Cameron Mackintosh is presumably behind is that it'd be a replica production. Apparently not. Do you know who the producers are?

I can understand the complaints about it being slightly too long, as much as I love the show it is true. It's a frequent complaint. What did the review who told Mary to go to hell complain about?

Please take lots of pictures of Det Ny Teater (esp. the the Poppins billboard!). And send my good wishes to that theatre too.

So is it standard practice in Denmark (even the rest of Scandinavia) to give ratings out of 6 rather than 5?

Thanks for those links!

I see what you mean now---the design is COMPLETELY different! You can see they've based it on Bob Crowley's designs, but I'm disappointed you don't get to see just how amazing the original design was. I thought because Cameron Mackintosh is presumably behind is that it'd be a replica production. Apparently not. Do you know who the producers are?

I can understand the complaints about it being slightly too long, as much as I love the show it is true. It's a frequent complaint. What did the review who told Mary to go to hell complain about?

So is it standard practice in Denmark (even the rest of Scandinavia) to give ratings out of 6 rather than 5?

Having 6 as the top rating is fairly common in Scandinavia (at least in Denmark and Norway). Part of the reason is that a reviewer once wanted to show how random ratings and reviews can be. He illustrated this by the use of the dice (which, in use, is arbitrary). Ironically it very soon became THE preferred way of rating in Norway, as it's very easy to comprehend and decorative to use in both the press and promos, and the ironic undertone is today lost (and English Wikipedia hasn't understood this either):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dice_throw_(review)

The reviewer who told Mary to fly to hell (ha-ha!) basically seems to dislike the movie and the musical in general. The review had very little to do with Det Ny Teater's production:

"Mary Poppins started as a Disney film in 1964 starring no-gendered Julie Andrews in the lead role. She received both Golden Globe and Oscar for her role in that horrible movie. So it was with all hopes of seeing the light I threw myself over the theatrical version. Sorry. It was an awful disappointment! (...) The musical contains roughly one long, boring song, repeated throughout until it makes your skin crawl (...). It is claimed to be a show for children. Poor children, they should be hauled in and bored with it."

(used Google translator just because I'm lazy... sorry if some of the phrasing is a bit off.)

AFAIK it's the theatre themselves who's producing this, with no international team behind them. But there's always an "official" producer, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's CamMack. I'm not quite sure how these things work. Here's what the official site say:

This production is presented by permission of JOSEF WEINBERGER LIMITED on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of New York

Will of course take tons of pictures while I'm there! Stay tuned... He-he.

Operfantomet, what did that reviewer mean by 'no gendered Julie Andrews'? I know she played a man in Victor/Victoria, but seriously now. I think she was gorgeous (and still is) to be considered a WOman.

I think he found her androgyne? Don't ask me why or how. Possibly referring to her short-cut hair, which was considered boyish in the sixties...? That reviewer clearly is no fan of musical(movie)s in general and Julie Andrews in particular, but it was lots of fun to read the review. Poor bitter soul, being sent to cover a musical he/she clearly hates...

So do we get a review of your and Josefine's trip?

I just came home a few hours ago, evil creature!


But yes... you're absolutely right... a review is on its way. In the mean time:


Me digging the poster

MARY POPPINS


DET NY TEATER, Sunday Sunday 21. February 2010

CAST:

MARY POPPINS: Charlotte Guldberg
BERT: Kristian Studsgaard
GEROGE BANKS: Morten Staugaard
WINIFRED BANKS: Christiane Gjellerup Koch
JANE BANKS: Clara Rugaard-Larsen
MICHAEL BANKS: Carl Philip Levin
MISS ANDREW: Marianne Mortensen
BIRD LADY: Ulla Sell
MRS: BRILL: Birgitte Bruun
ROBERTSON AY: Kim H. Henriksen
BANK CHIEF: Michael Lindvad
NELEUS: Henrik Lund
MR. NORTHBROOK: Johannes Nymark
MISS LARK: Marie Bo

+ general roles



First, let me admit I'm a total newbie when it comes to Mary Poppins. I've never seen the musical before, I'm not even sure I've seen the movie in full. I knew the very basics of the plot, but in general I went into the theatre with no idea of what to expect.


What met us when we entered the auditorium was a beautiful stage curtain (or whatever to call it), showing London's skyline, a gigantic moon with the shadow of Mary Poppins randomly passing by, glittering stars, and a sort of false proscenium of stars and chimneys. There was also an ornamental fence between orchestra pit and stage. Visually gorgeous and also fairytale-looking.





ACT 1:

The transition from before-show look and to the first scene was beautiful, cause suddenly frozen shadows of chimney sweepers appeared in the background, by the change of the lighting (an effect which was used several places, and I likd it a lot). Enter "Chim-chim-cheere". Bert (Kristian Studsgaard) came off as a bit anonymus, I would have liked for him to be more enigmatic of have a more defined interpretation, but I liked the actual scene.

The Cherry tree lane set was less impressive than the opening, with a too-small looking living room and an entrance door which was rolled on stage only when it was needed. I complained to Josefine that the set looked badly painted. She pointed out that it was probably to mimick illustrations in old English children books, in a slightly naïve style, and I liked it a bit better. But my second beef with the set was that it took so long time to get it in position on stage. Especially the scene changes between living room and nursery took forever, and honestly most of the scenes didn't need the actual nursery. It would benefitted from only introducing beds, some toys and maybe a shelf, without the whole "lowering a big room in place". Would have saved us some "oh no, we have to wait for the nursery" moments. This bugged me a lot, but I won't comment it in the rest of this review...

I usually loathe children in musicals. I'm sorry for being so heartless, but... I really do. To my big surprise I found the Bank kids to be genuinely good. All the places I expected them to either squeek out notes or offer sub-par acting, I found myself very impressed. Especially in the acting department, but the singing was also first-rate. They have three Janes and three Michaels, and if all of them is on the level of those I saw, they've scored big time when casting!

The parents were played by Morten Staugaard and Christiane Gjellerup Koch. I've seen Staugaard previously, as a très goofy Monsieur André in "Phantom of the Opera" and a most impressive Javert in "Les Misèrables". He always delivers, so also here. But there's a "but". I found the parent characters to be quite unnecessary in most of the musical. Sure, they have to be there, especially the father. But I felt they didn't really need the solo songs and the fleshing-out of the characters, because they seem underwritten and two-dimentional. With the musical being as long as it is (3 hours), I know what I would cut if I were allowed to... That said, Staugaard and Koch were good. They just didn't have much to act on.

Enters Mary Poppins (Charlotte Guldberg). On a glittering cloud. Awesome. And boy, have they picked the perfect actress for the role. Her posture, her movements, her voice, her dancing, her face... She's just so.... right! A light, well-trained soprano and a kind of eerie, but gentle appearance was a nice combination, and although I won't claim she stole all the scenes she definitely came off as the main person whenever she was on stage. Haven't seen her in anything before (Josefine saw her as Maria in "Sound of Music", I think), but I was most impressed. Practically perfect! Which, by the way, was one of the songs I really liked. Didn't hurt that she throughout the show had the best songs and the best punchlines either.

Speaking of which... My biggest beef with "Mary Poppins the Musical" is that I didn't find the score all that strong. The "Chim-chim-cheere" tune is nice, "Practically perfect" very catchy, and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" entertaining. But the score overall seems generic and in lack of the true show-stoppers. That's not to say it's bad, but "Mary Poppins" could have been a radically much better musical if the score was stronger. That's at least how it appeared to me, as a newbie to "Mary Poppins" but a big lover of musicals in general.

Anyway... The park scene where the Neleus statue comes alive (Jolly holiday) was fab. First, I didn't know the statue was to come alive, so I felt a childish moment of glee and joy when it happened. Very well executed. In general the "fantasy" parts of this production was darn impressive, both in actual design and in execution. Lush, delicate, jolly, with some seriously good choreography. I wanted to run on stage and join them!

Jumping to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (or Superfantafænomænagenialilistisk). A cool ensemble number, cause it involved a lot of in-sync choreography and posters with letters, and the fun part was actually to watch if everyone managed to do what they should in time. They did.

My I-love-to-hate-that-guy Kim Henriksen played the part of Robertson Ay, the Bank family's man servant. In this musical I got a glimpse of how well he can actually sing. After having ruined Bank's kitchen and gotten "A spoonful of sugar" he suddenly sung like a tenor hero, and his voice was actually impressive and VERY different from the nasal charicature approach he has to every role he does. Why don't he sing like that all the time? I think I might would have liked him (except he would probably keep overacting...). That said, this was a role he COULD overact in without ruining anything.

But let's talk about the fun part! "Temper, temper"!! As in WOW! How on earth could this be cut from the West End/Broadway counterparts? It gave me goosebumps and was awesome to watch. The toys coming alive was awesomeness, especially a creepy female doll stepping forward to accuse the children. And the way everyone kept repeating "Temper, temper" (or rather "Rolig. rolig") was dead cool. What an end to the first act!


ACT 2:

If act 1 ended with a bang, the opening of act 2 was just as cool. Enters Miss Andrews! Nanny from hell, dressed in a black costume with a feather hat giving her devils horns from certain angles (can be seen in the link underneath). Although I didn't find the actual song "Brimstone and treacle" (Levertran virker) too memorable, she sung it to perfection, flunging out soaring high notes up and down the stairs and whatnot. I'm tempted to call it a showstopper.

When I though the scene was as cool as it got, Mary Poppins came back and had a helluva cat fight with Miss Andrews. Luuuuuved it.

With Mary and the children moving up to the rooftop I realized that totally unnecessary dance numbers can be lotsa fun. The chimney sweeper step number was entertaining, and again I loved the choreography. My friend Knut didn't care much for this number, however, so maybe it was just me being in the mood after the catfight awesomeness.

Should mention that the bank scene had a cool design, with only soem columns and chandeliers towards a dark backdrop. Minimalistic without looking cheap, and allowed a super rapid scene change. I wish they would have done something similar for the nursery set!

The rapid change in Mr. Banks character seemed forced, and the big-happy-family part was a bit watever. I think it's related to me finding the parent characters underwritten in general, and that I just don't care about their suddenly change in character. But ah well.

What more? Oh, of course... The end with the family watching the universe, stars, moons, planets and whatnot, was droolable. I have no idea how this was designed in the original, but I still dare say the Copenhagen counterpart must be just as impressive in the grand finale.

No, wait... The grand finale was actually Mary Poppins leaving, after kissing Bert on the cheek (am I the only one finding hints of a romance between them unnecessary?). She simply flew out in the auditorium, taking a (flying) turn by the first balcony, before flying up to the upper balcony and vanishing. The children in front of me gasped. Cool, very cool.

(and the reason why I mention so few songs in the second act is that many of them are reprises of songs)


So... did I like it? A lot!
Would I go to Copenhagen to see it again? Probably not.
Would I see it if it played in another city I visited? Definitely.
Is it on my top 10 list of musicals? Erm... neeeh, I don't think so. But very close.
Was the Copenhagen production good? It was actually awesome.
Will I have to rethink my opinion on children in musicals? I think I do.
Should "Temper, temper" be mandatory? YES!


Various costume sketches from Copenhagen here:
http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/show-selected-mary-poppins/synopsis/

Mange tak!

I completely agree re children in musicals. Sounds harsh, but normally I can't stand it. Call me an evil unfeeling bastard if you like, but I love it when Gavroche finally snuffs it in Les Mis. Yet I had exactly the same reaction to Poppins---they cast the children very well in London and I was extremely impressed.

I'm a bit worried re your comment on Mr and Mrs Banks being unnecessary. Sounds like the director hasn't quite got the show right. In the stage musical, Mr Banks is essentially the crux of the whole evening, it depends entirely on his personality and how that changes and affects his family. I'd even go so far as to say that he is even more important to get right than Bert is. If you get him wrong, then the whole evening is wrong. That's why I didn't enjoy the London production so much after the original Mr Banks, David Haig, left...his replacement just wasn't strong enough and consequently I found the whole show suffered and became slightly boring.

How did they stage 'Step in Time'? In London and on Broadway, Bert actually walks up the side of the proscenium arch and then across to the other side (meaning he walks upside down on the top)! It's a fantastic moment in the show.

'Temper, Temper' was never cut from the London production, although it was toned down towards the end of its run. The original toys were really quite creepy and like something out of a Tim Burton movie. The replacement toys were not as exciting. I really do think the show suffered after Disney attempted to make it more kid-friendly and market it as a family show. I guess they must have been quite puzzled as to why, when Cameron was in charge in London, he insisted it WASN'T a family show and that children under 8 shouldn't attend!

I wish you had got to see the London production because I was so incredibly impressed by the design. It was probably the most impressive set I've seen in the theatre in terms of sheer spectacle that I've seen after Phantom and the original Sunset Blvd. It was like a giant doll's house with multiple storeys that came apart and together and could levitate. I should probably post some pics when I get a few spare minutes at some point.

Who was the director for the Danish production again? Sounds like a good job though even if it wasn't a replica production. Glad you enjoyed it!

Few things:

Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are important to the show. In the book, Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are in their own worlds, not caring about their children. It takes Mary Poppins to bring the family together. Also, one of my fav. songs from the film "A Man Has Dreams/Spoonful of Sugar (Reprise)" that Bert and Mr. Banks sing together is very important. I'm glad it was kept in the show, it's what Mr. Banks needed as a 'wakeup call'. But as Scorp pointed out, I guess the director seemed to overlook that. Becuase the children act the way they do because their family is 'broken'. Which is, hence, the reason why Mary Poppins came to them, and to all the children. To fix what is wrong, and when done, leave.

"Temper, Temper" is FREAKING AWESOME. But it was ruined by that stupid frog. I dislike that frog. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then good. Only Broadway (and London) had to suffer with 'the frog'.

Very interesting re: the importance of Mr. Banks. I love Morten Staugaard as an actor, and I don't really think it was a fault on his behalf. The roles of the parents just didn't come through. Or maybe it was just me, I dunno. But it sounds a lot more logical the way you describe it.

The in-house director for "Mary Poppins" is Lisa Kent ( http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/show-selected-mary-poppins/medvirkende/#c396 ). I've liked stuff she's done previously, but I've never been head-over-heels in love with the productions she's done. Dunno why. She did "Les Mis" at Det Ny Teater last season, by the way.

As for Bert walking around the proscenium, I told Josefine and Knut about it before the show. Copenhagen Bert didn't to that walk - which was a bit disappointing, but not a must. It sounds so cool!

What I meant when I wrote that "Temper, temper" was cut, was that the milder "Playing the game" scene replaced it. Probably still a lot of the same stuff going on, but Mary Poppins remains in the nursery, and the toys are less creepy. The sheer wickedness of "temper, temper" impressed be a lot.

Please post some pics of the original/replica production! It sounds fantastic, and I'm inclined to think their solution to Bank's home (living room/nursery) was stronger than the one in Copenhagen. But I really adored the "fantasy" scenes.

ML6 wrote:Few things:

Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are important to the show. In the book, Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are in their own worlds, not caring about their children. It takes Mary Poppins to bring the family together. Also, one of my fav. songs from the film "A Man Has Dreams/Spoonful of Sugar (Reprise)" that Bert and Mr. Banks sing together is very important. I'm glad it was kept in the show, it's what Mr. Banks needed as a 'wakeup call'. But as Scorp pointed out, I guess the director seemed to overlook that. Becuase the children act the way they do because their family is 'broken'. Which is, hence, the reason why Mary Poppins came to them, and to all the children. To fix what is wrong, and when done, leave.

"Temper, Temper" is FREAKING AWESOME. But it was ruined by that stupid frog. I dislike that frog. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then good. Only Broadway (and London) had to suffer with 'the frog'.

No frog comprehension here, I'm glad that's a good thing....

I got the element about the children acting like they do because the lack of attention from their parents. The thing about Mr. Banks repeating history by giving his children the same kind of childhood he had (and seemed to suffer from as an adult) was also well enough explained. But I got the feeling this would be a key element even without their solo numbers. I didn't really care when Mrs. Banks sung about her memories and her hopes, and I think the introduction of Miss Andrews is more than enough to get a glimpse of why Mr. Banks acts as he does towards the children. I guess it was the "spending half an hour to tell you in detail what you should understand anyway" feeling I disliked.

But Josefine and/or Knut might have seen it differently!

operafantomet wrote:

ML6 wrote:Few things:

Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are important to the show. In the book, Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks are in their own worlds, not caring about their children. It takes Mary Poppins to bring the family together. Also, one of my fav. songs from the film "A Man Has Dreams/Spoonful of Sugar (Reprise)" that Bert and Mr. Banks sing together is very important. I'm glad it was kept in the show, it's what Mr. Banks needed as a 'wakeup call'. But as Raj pointed out, I guess the director seemed to overlook that. Becuase the children act the way they do because their family is 'broken'. Which is, hence, the reason why Mary Poppins came to them, and to all the children. To fix what is wrong, and when done, leave.

"Temper, Temper" is FREAKING AWESOME. But it was ruined by that stupid frog. I dislike that frog. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then good. Only Broadway (and London) had to suffer with 'the frog'.

No frog comprehension here, I'm glad that's a good thing....

I got the element about the children acting like they do because the lack of attention from their parents. The thing about Mr. Banks repeating history by giving his children the same kind of childhood he had (and seemed to suffer from as an adult) was also well enough explained. But I got the feeling this would be a key element even without their solo numbers. I didn't really care when Mrs. Banks sung about her memories and her hopes, and I think the introduction of Miss Andrews is more than enough to get a glimpse of why Mr. Banks acts as he does towards the children. I guess it was the "spending half an hour to tell you in detail what you should understand anyway" feeling I disliked.

But Josefine and/or Knut might have seen it differently!

God, I wish there was a picture of that frog... But, I'd probably delete soon after because it's too hideous.
And, I see what you mean about the Mr. Banks bit. Tbh, ... I actually like the way the presented it in the film more. Mrs. Banks being a woman's voter (and she gets that awesome catchy song "VOTE FOR WOMEN!"/Sister Suffregate). But it was nice to see what they could do with the characters when eliminating that whole element. It works, but because I was raised on the film, I tend to like that more. SO I do agree with you on that. But I'm glad the other aspect that I was talking about was obvious.

Yeah, the stage!Winifred idea is very different from the movie, but works as such. It's probably easier to understand for the general audience than the suffragette theme.

I found a picture of Broadway's general "Mary Poppins" set, and I see what you mean, Scorp! It outshines Copenhagen by miles, it looks awesome. The picture is here, for anyone interested:
http://lbgloster.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/mary-poppins-stage.jpg

Scorp wrote:'Faktisk næsten fejlfri' is the song to look out for if you end up going...in English it's 'Practically Perfect' and it's a great piece of songwriting. Apparently it's the song that got Stiles and Drewe (the new composers) the job once Cameron heard it.

Going back a page to quote this.... You're absolutely right. The song is SO stuck in my brain it's almost painful... I especially like that they pronounce it "Pra-cti-caa-lly perfect" in the English version. It's a nice, little hook.

I watched the "Making of the musical" on the Mary Poppins DVD extras, and the original Mary Poppins movie composer commented that "Practically perfect" is the best song WE wrote, nodding to how the musical composers had adapted his style to the full when writing a new song. It really fits well to the existing score, and it's so fitting for the character.

operafantomet wrote:

Scorp wrote:'Faktisk næsten fejlfri' is the song to look out for if you end up going...in English it's 'Practically Perfect' and it's a great piece of songwriting. Apparently it's the song that got Stiles and Drewe (the new composers) the job once Cameron heard it.

Going back a page to quote this.... You're absolutely right. The song is SO stuck in my brain it's almost painful... I especially like that they pronounce it "Pra-cti-caa-lly perfect" in the English version. It's a nice, little hook.

I watched the "Making of the musical" on the Mary Poppins DVD extras, and the original Mary Poppins movie composer commented that "Practically perfect" is the best song WE wrote, nodding to how the musical composers had adapted his style to the full when writing a new song. It really fits well to the existing score, and it's so fitting for the character.

Random piece of trivia for you: the Sherman brothers actually composed a song called 'Practically Perfect' for the movie, but because the woman who played Mrs Banks wanted a solo (I've forgotten her name), they turned it into 'Sister Suffragette' for her.

I saw that in the extra material on the DVD! Did the new composers know that when they sat down to write their "Practically perfect"? I can see why Glynis Johns felt like having her own number, though...

As for other stuff, Det Ny Teater has updated their site with tons of Mary Poppins photos:
http://www.detnyteater.dk/forestillinger/mary-poppins/show-selected-mary-poppins/fotovideo/

My favourites:


Superphantaphænomænagenialilistisk! The most fun part was actually to see if they managed to time their posters throughout the number, as there were lots of choreography involved. They did.



Brimston and treacles / Levertran virker. Nanny from hell meets supernanny. I absolutely adored this scene, and can only imagine what Rosemary Ashe did with this role. But judging from YouTube clips it don't appear they had Miss Andrews running up and down the stairs singing high notes, as they did in Copenhagen?



Temper temper / Rolig rolig. This picture is not from the actual scene, rather just the kids posing with the toys. But creepy doll in front, to the left, was awesomely creepy on stage! Ditto for the teddybear in the background.



The end scene, with the solar system, glittering costumes, a merry-go-round mimicking that of the movie (Jolly holiday) and eternal happiness. Usually not my cup of tea, but it looked magical.