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| Another Cameron Mackintosh show
"soars" into town as Mary Poppins has started a run at the Fox
that will take it through the end of August. Those who loved the book and
wildly popular film version of the original "Nanny" will be sure to love this
stage musical which adds more music and some surprises that you may not think
possible with live theatre. As usual, Mackintosh chooses style over substance and this show offers some eye-popping special effects that you just won't believe. To re-create the animated antics that took place on screen, statues come to life and everything is bright and beautiful even in the more dreary parts of London. And when Mary takes flight with her famous umbrella, it makes Peter Pan look like a paper airplane in comparison. The new music is delightful and a welcome addition to the standard hits like "Spoonful of Sugar" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." The cast is top-notch from the bottom up. Ashley Brown is simply splendid in the title role and Gavin Lee makes a wonderful storyteller as Bert. Mary Van Arsdel is haunting as the Bird Woman and a perfectly fiendish Ellen Harvey is marvelous Miss Andrew. Other stand-outs abound from both major players and minor roles. It truly is a polished show. The Bob Crowley set designs are spectacular and the precise timing and almost unbelievable set changes make the show move quicker that its almost three-hour run would warrant. Richard Eyre has directed with economy in mind as well and the splendid choreography of Matthew Bourne is also mind-boggling at times. Although it's a show for children, the younger ones probably won't last the entire evening without getting restless. And as for the parents, the spoonfuls of sugar that are inherent in the show go down a bit easier when the sets, costumes and wonderful cast help you swallow the saccharine. Mary Poppins is truly a sight to behold and you can see it through August 30th at the Fox. This is Steve Allen with a look at theatre in our town for CLASSIC99. |
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