Mary Poppins
★★★★★ Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Festival Theatre: Weds 22 Jan – Sat 15 Feb
Review by Rebecca Mahar
Blown in on her umbrella by the gusts of Storm Éowyn, the new UK & Ireland tour of Mary Poppins arrives in Edinburgh in a fashion that can only be described by the mysterious nanny’s own superlative: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
P.L. Travers’s beloved Mary Poppins stories, first musically adapted in the 1964 Disney film starring Julie Andrews, are given fresh life in the stage musical. Twenty years after its debut, the musical is as bright and brilliant as ever, bursting with life, delight, with a human heart behind the extravagant dance numbers and lavish set that never ceases to beat.

Charlie Donald (Michael Banks), Stefanie Jones (Mary Poppins) and Florence Swann (Jane Banks). Pic: Canny Kaan.
When Jane and Michael Banks run off yet another nanny, fate conspires to bring Mary Poppins to their door; prim, proper, and perpetually enigmatic. Harassed parents George and Winifred, though a bit befuddled, are not about to turn down was seems like providence, allowing Mary to quickly take charge of the nursery, though her influence soon extends far beyond it.
While Mary Poppins and her friend Bert are taking the children on adventures set to both restore their childlike wonder and to teach them important lessons, the Banks parents must navigate the potential loss of George’s job, their life as they know it, and the changes and complications of their own relationship. Mary Poppins cannot stay forever; as Travers wrote, “she cannot forever arrive and depart”, but knows when to let her charges —young and old— take the next step on their own.
balancing
Reprising her role from the Australian National Tour, Stefanie Jones is an exceptional Mary Poppins, perfectly balancing the sweet-and-sharp nature the character is known for. She brings a depth of emotion to the role not always guaranteed: Jones allows the audience a glimpse behind the enigma, to see how Mary becomes attached to the Bankses, and to Bert, and how hard it is for her to leave. It might be her duty to leave, and the right thing to do, but Jones’s Mary seems as if she wishes she could stay.
Serving as the light-touch narrator of the piece, Jack Chambers glitters through the coal dust as Bert. Also reprising his role from the Australian tour, Chambers never lets up for a moment, a beacon of energy and mischief whether leading the chimney sweeps in the iconic Step in Time, or sharing a quiet moment with Mary. Chambers takes his dancing to extraordinary heights, imbuing Bert with his own sense of magic.
The Banks family are a beautifully chaotic unit. Michael D. Xavier and Lucie-Mae Sumner share comedy, conflict, and tenderness with enormous facility as George and Winifred. Their relationship and storyline is amplified in comparison to the film, giving them both more breadth and depth, which Xavier and Sumner fully embody.
fully committed
On the night of AE’s visit, Jane and Michael Banks were played by Katie Ryden and William Stafford. Both young actors are outstanding, fully committed and holding their own opposite their adult cohorts as triple-threats in the making. The Banks children are played by a rotating youth cast: be sure to check the “at this performance” notice in the lobby on your visit.

Rosemary Ashe (Mrs Brill), Wendy Ferguson (Miss Andrew) and Lucie Mae Sumner (Winifred Banks). Pic: Danny Kaan
Highlights from the company include Wendy Fergus as Miss Andrew, the holy terror of a nanny from George Banks’s childhood; Ruairidh McDonald as Robertson Ay, the hapless Banks manservant-of-all-work; and Yujin Park as Neleus, a statue come to life.
The production is full of crisp ensemble work, filling out the world of the show with inhabitants of Cherry Tree Lane and London at large, and exploding into vibrant colour as members of Mary’s magical world. The standard of dance across the board is excellent, with original choreography by Stephen Mear and Matthew Bourne, recreated by Richard Jones, and maintained by dance captain Lydia Boulton. Every member of the company gives their all each time they appear, and their energy is infectious. Physically, vocally, enthusiastically, they are exemplars of the musical theatre ensemble world.
strikes all the right chords
The massive and varied sets (originally designed by Bob Crowley; adapted for the tour by Rosalind Coombes & Matt Kinley) transform seamlessly to create the world of Poppins, from the house set unfolding like a pop-up book, to the drab greyness of the park, to the sparkling rooftops of London. Clever illusions by Paul Kieve & Jim Steinmeyer reinforce Mary’s magic, and lighting design from Hugh Vanstone (implemented by tour Associate LD Simon Sherriff) strikes all the right chords: bright and ecstatic when called for, dim and moody when needed, and always on cue.

Katie Ryden (Jane Banks), Stefanie Jones (Mary Poppins), Sharon Wattis (Miss Corry:Miss Smythe), Jack Chambers (Bert), William Stafford (Michael Banks) and Company. Pic Danny Kaan.
While there are some pieces that fans of the film might miss, such as the absence of the song Sister Suffragette, they are not needed. The stage adaptation incorporates much from the film, but is its own creature, stepping out from the film’s towering reputation to claim its own place in the Poppins legend.
From its vocal brilliance, emotional bona fides, spectacular design, and heartwarming story, through to its bittersweet final moment, this Mary Poppins truly is practically perfect in every way.
Running time: Two hours and 50 minutes (including one interval)
Festival Theatre Edinburgh, 13/29 Nicolson Street EH8 9FT
Weds 22 January – Sat 15 February 2025
Tue – Sat: 7:30pm; Thu & Sat mats 2:30pm; Sun mats 2pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
Access performance: The Weds 5 Feb 7:30pm performance will be captioned.

Jack Chambers (Bert), Michael D Xavier (George Banks), Katie Ryden (Jane Banks), William Stafford (Michael Banks), Lucie Mae Sumner (Winifred Banks) and Company. Pic: Danny Kaan.
ENDS