You may not be Mary Poppins, but your channel is practically perfect in every way...

Mary Poppins was the first musical that has ever made me cry - I was BAWLING when she flew, made worse by Zizi Strallen looking me dead in the eye as she went past. Absolutely magical

I wasn’t expecting this show to become my favourite west end musical but it really is. A phenomenal piece of musical theatre as you said. I thought it was a very traditional and mostly conventional production, but is executed with such perfection by an insanely talented cast that it just feels like the soul of the west end. Everyone needs to go see it before it closes if you haven’t already!

I went last night after my husband watched this video and got the idea to try for rush tickets. We got absolutely amazing seats and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I very much relate to feeling like a kid again and just being delighted with the magic of it without it feeling like a kids show. The moment when Mary Poppins flew over the audience at the end had me grinning from ear to ear. Also, I'm hard of hearing and asked at the desk for any help they could give me and they provided me with a headset that receives audio directly from the stage mics and had its own volume control. The staff were super helpful and came to check on us during the interval to make sure it was all working for us. The service was great and really helped me to enjoy the show as much as everyone else. I highly recommend this show and we'd love to go see it again.

I have been waiting for this review! I was in a community production of Mary Poppins in 2015 & I loved the music. My favorite songs that was not from the original film were Being Mrs. Banks & Anything Can Happen.

13:24 "Even though 'Frozen' wears its heart on its sleeve a lot more with the outpourings of emotion and talking about emotions with 'Monster' and with 'Let It Go', Mary Poppins even though it doesn't necessarily access those conversations in such an obious way is somehow more emotionally impactful." That almost made me cry. I consider myself a little bit of an anachronism because all of these new, bombastic and loud shows are so drenched of obvious emotions that I sometimes feel a bit hollow watching them and I find older musicals (or musicals which are bit more in an older fashion like Mary Poppins) a lot more impactful because they have these moments which are little bit more reserved and symbolic that really give you the feels. Sometimes it just doesn't have to be so overtly emotional to actually be emotional. Thanks for singling that out in your review. Love watching your videos!

"Feed the Birds" was Walt Disney's favorite song. He would often call the Sherman brothers (he referred to them as The Boys) into his office just to play that song.

I did Mary Poppins in community theatre in 2015. (Ensemble, but there's a lot of ensemble time in this show!) I don't know of the changes they made for West End. Mary Poppins is honestly one of the best Disney shows. (And a lot of the new songs work for the stage show!) I'd say it is up with Lion King (in terms of best Disney stage adaptation). It's just a show that radiates magic and whimsy. My favorite part of the community production we did was when we did Feed the Birds. Our theatre has seats that are over the entrance to the house. (So you're entering under some of the seats when you walk into the house.) Ensemble snuck into the doorways to sing the ensemble parts for that song, so it sounded like you were in a cathedral. It was so beautiful. One of my favorite theatre memories. I know when we did the show, our Bert didn't tap dance, but he was upsidedown on the ceiling of the stage for Step in time. Absolutely shocked that Bert was able to TAP DANCE like that. It was hard enough for our Bert to dance upsidedown. But to TAP DANCE? Holy cow

I wrote to Ashley Brown back in 2006, when I was still dreaming of being a Broadway actor. I received a very heartfelt letter several years later (it had somehow gotten lost in transit), encouraging me to continue to pursue my dreams. While I didn’t ever make it to professional theatre, I hold that letter closely and Mary Poppins has held a very special place in my heart as a result.

I worked FOH there for just a month whilst my usually venue was dark and I completely fell in love with the show. Even in my last week there, I would get tears in my eyes as the music would swell and Mary Poppins would fly over the audience. The audience never left disappointed, it is the Mary Poppins everyone expects and performed to an insanely excellent level. All family theatre should be that good.

Oh goodness, I'd love to see this. My son's first ever cinema experience was Mary Poppins Returns, so it'd be a lovely bit of synergy if his first trip to the theat-ah was to see this. I hope it tours again soon.

I remember taking my 6 or 7 year old nephews to see the stage version of Mary Poppins here in Chicago 10 or 11 years ago. It was so magical!! And the English accents were excellent (I lived in the UK for over 4 years and only watch BBC, ITV, etc. entertainment, so while not an expert, I'd say the English accents -- in Chicago! -- were consistently spot on)!! (Maybe the main cast members were brought over from England... Who knows???) In fact, upon reflection I think Mary Poppins resonated for me more than Hamilton. By the way, we love you here in Chicago (where all the try-outs for Broadway-bound shows now start), Mickey Jo Theatre!! ❤ 💙 💜 💖 💗

re: The scenic design. I saw the original Broadway production, with the original design, and the US Tour, with this revised scenic design... I have to be honest... the original was epic and massive and had some truly impressive movements with that original house, however I LOVE this revised design so much more. Visually, the revised house feels much more "of the world" of the rest of the production design and the WAY that it moves is much more fluid and theatrical and seems to dance and reveal surprises, much like Mary. This current design wins, hands down.. and yes, the final flight is a really emotional moment.

Literally been binge watching your channel all day! Also I still have my Defy Gravity zip hoodie from Wicked in 2009!

I saw this on tour about 6 years ago and completely agree with you about Zizzi! She is literally made for this role and I still remember how amazed I feel watching Step in Time!

i know right when she flies in with kite and the key change happens and that huge crescendo the the magic and impact it has is crazy. And when she flies over thats it everyone cries even if you did not think you would.

I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's hit musical Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, I really enjoyed seeing it with Zizi Strallen, Charlie Stemp from Half a Sixpence and Petula Clark on Saturday 14th December 2019 which was amazing and I'm very sad that it's closing on Sunday 8th January 2023

I watched it in February with Zizi Strallen and Charlie Stemp and it was brilliant!!! I had a massive grin on my face the whole time

Ah amazing, I’m going on Saturday and I can’t wait - I’d always assumed you’d seen this. Great review Mickey 😊

I am so glad you loved it! I was lucky enough to see it at the Ogunquit Playhouse here in the US a few years ago and I absolutely adored it! The movie is one of my favorites so I'm a bit biased but it translated perfectly to the stage. The creative team put their hearts and souls into this one and you can tell!

Like you, I hadn't rushed to see this production and only saw it two weeks ago. I *loved* it. I saw Charlie Stemp, who was mind-blowing amazing. I was very impressed with Jane and Michael Banks. The production was superb, exceptional. Along with the legend that is Petula Clark (for younger viewers she was a massive star in the 1960s and also been Norma Desmond- she is 89 and the Bird Lady here)

Thank you for this review. Because of this review I went to go see it and was blown away. Your reviews are amazing and genuinely helpful when picking things to go see

What a wonderful wonderful review. I like you missed MP the first time around. It is also currently on in Sydney & wasn’t burning to see it but was very pleasantly surprised (& a little overwhelmed at times ) great review.

Yeah, Mary Poppins is amazing. It keeps just enough in to feel like the original, but changes just enough to be different. Personally, my favorite number added just for the show is “Brimstone and Treacle.” Mary Poppins is the last show I’d expect to have an epic villain song, but it makes it even better that it’s there. Easily a 5 star.

My singing teachers husband is in this production and it is SO GREAT!

Another great review thank you. Must see this before it closes.

I was able to see Mary Poppins three times and every time you find something new. I love their show and my grandkids love the show and my adult friends love the show it was an incredible evening of a musical.

This show is great! I think it being in stage makes it better!

I’ve been lucky enough to see this show twice live and I cried both times. But even on just casual listens to the cast recording it’s probably the musical that consistently makes me cry every time. It’s just a stunningly beautiful show and I can’t get enough of it ❤️❤️

I went to see this yesterday for my first ever solo theatre trip. I loved it! Obsessed. Also Lucas Gaunt who's now playing Bert was incredible

I don't usually write fan letter comments, but I have to say i enjoy and admire your posts immensely. Your knowledge of theater is encyclopedic, your erudition is matched my your analytic prowess and best of all perhaps, you present everything in such a delightful manner. Your love of theater comes through vividly and is beauifully contagious. Five stars.

I’m so glad that you enjoyed Mary Poppins. I got to see the production around Christmas in 2019 and it felt like the best Christmas present anyone could have. I’m so glad that it exceeded my expectations as I was very sceptical of the show as the film has a special place in my heart (my family watch the film almost every Christmas/New Years ).

Thank you, MickeyJo. I'm in the U.S. and on today's holiday we're confronting yet another horrific mass shooting at a parade. Your review today is just want I need to cleanse my mind of the violent images: it's so wholesome, charming (as you always are) and filled with enthusiasm as your face beams at what appears to have been a uniquely thrilling theatre experience. The "Mary Poppins" film isn't much of a favorite for me--always excepting Julie Andrews being a deity of delight--and yet you've made me long to have shared this through your eyes. You and your commentaries are always so engaging but today in particular, I must thank you very much for such dearly needed and appreciated joy. Hope you and everyone reading this have a stagy and safe week!

Love the music in the background btw 🖤

Mickey-Jo, I'm so emotional listening to your Excellent review on Mary Poppins. We had our company annual meeting in the theater during it's original run, so have seen the original set, but sadly not the show. Its a shame Let's go fly a Kite was moved from the ending. Such an amazing show.

I'm a new subscriber from the US and just have to say (because us Americans always have to say something) you are a delight!

This year we did Mary Poppins as our musical and it was a fantastic experience! We were working with a new director who has worked on broadway for years but for whatever reason decided to work as a school teacher now, which was an emotionally loaded experience on both ends because of the previous shows both our cast and her had worked on being ruined by covid, plus how everything went down with our previous director leaving. As our last show at school, all of the seniors were really exited but nervous to get back to the stage and work with theatre in person again. This was also the first musical where I got cast in a larger(ish) role, playing both Von Hussler and Admiral Boom after the original actor dropped out, as well as helping construct sets and props in class. I could go into so many stories from backstage but this is long enough as is. This show will always hold a special place in my heart

The show is amazing but I do feel you missed something by not mentioning Zizi Strallen’s sister, Scarlett played the role with great success both in London, New York and Sydney. Having seen her performance, I think it’s fair to say, Zizi is channeling her big sister more than her aunt. But this is a wonderful review and I hope it encourages people to see the show. Love your channel so much because you have such a passion for theatre and it shows in everything you do ♥️

So so much love for this show!!! ❤️

I'm taking my Granddaughters on July 30th & i'm looking forward to it even more now ! ps - totally agree about the zip-up hoodie 😄

I'm seeing Mary Poppins this Friday in Sydney I won the ticket lottery so can't wait to see the show. I'll come back & watch after I watch the show.

My fave! Seen it 10 times now, obsessed, so waits closing x

Gavin Creel was my first Bert in Mary Poppins (on tour in the US). He was unknown to me at the time. Needless to say, I became an instant Gavin fan after that performance.

Saw the show in January and my god jaw was on the floor during step in time like seeing burt tap dancing upside down was when one of the best thing I’ve ever seen on stage!

I saw Adam understudy Bert pre Covid as Charlie was off, and then specifically went back after Covid when I knew Adam was on again, as I thought he was so bloody brilliant. Zizi was on both times and as you say phenomenal. Bawled throughout

Mary Poppins is my favourite musical. And I can't justify it in any logical words (though you've done a lot of that for me in this video 🤣) But it just makes me FEEL something that other shows don't. I know it's not the BEST show in the world - but it doesn't need to be the BEST to make it my FAVOURITE. Anyway, that was a lot of shouty capitals to say yes, I agree with you.

Great video as always. When is the Tony's video coming out?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (the stage version) is on another level and is also why I can spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in under 4 seconds.

OH MY GOD HEY I am so desperate to see this show but also glad that you enjoyed it because I love your reviews! Thank you! Just wondering how many times have you seen Matilda and when was the last time you saw it? Would love a review of that before the film comes out!

mary poppins is one of my favorite shows that i’ve done. i saw it in london when i was 8 and it was amazing and recently i was jane in it which was a dream come true and i had so much fun performing it!!

Mary Poppins is the first professional show i ever saw and started my love for musical theater, it's such a fantastic show and i'll have to try to go to London to see it before it closes next year

I got to see Mary Poppins at the Algonquin the other day and it was so stunning and entrancing! Having not been to any other productions or having heard the musical version I actually was impressed with the changes made from movie to stage.

I have wanted to see this show since it premiered, now I want to see it even more! I'll be in London soon, I must try that rush ticket thing!

Just saw the show in Sydney tonight. Wow. I was shocked she flew into the audience at the end. I was like where does she land?! I haven't watched the film probably since I was little & im now 30 so been a bit of time. I think Step In Time was my fave number so cool & talented group of people. I was so happy and surprised seeing the cool magic moment & set change happened.

"I learned a lesson, and it wasn't aimed at me-" thanks, got me a good laugh there :)

I saw Mary Poppins in Stuttgart, Germany, and fell in love with it. I definitely prefer it over the frozen production, its just more heartfelt and emotional than frozen. It brought so much of the disney magic on stage, its just amazing. The only other disney production i enjoyed as much was aladdin. Didnt see lion king yet tho.

I saw the Australian production two weeks ago and it was amazing

I loved it but I am quite sad Sister Suffragette was not in the show. I missed that a lot. It was my first exposure to understanding the movement as a child and would have loved to have seen that on stage!

Love to hear your thoughts. I saw the US tour a few years ago and really wanted to love it but didn't, despite all the spectacular effects. I think for whatever reason I just wasn't charmed by the actress playing Mary Poppins the way I was by Julie Andrews in the movie. So I left impressed but emotionally unmoved if that makes sense. Happy to be in the minority on that! Also, 7 shows in a week?! I'm jealous and impressed. I thought I was going overboard with ~ 35 shows this year, making up for lost time with the pandemic, but at least they're spread out 🤣

The original, Laura Michelle Kelly was incredible and will always be my favourite Mary! As great as it is that Zizi can kick her leg to the ceiling, she has also beeen 'told off' by Matthew Bourne for doing so on BGT as when the show was first created, it was decided that Mary would never kick above 90 as she would never show off in that manner.

Oh my god, hey back atcha!

Hearing you say Mary Poppins heading to the G-A-Y side wasn't that surprising reminded me of the first time i heard the phrase "a lesbian and her emotional support himbo" and my brain immediately went "MARY AND BERT!"

I saw it 2 weeks ago, and it was just a delight. Like BTTF its both the story we know and its own thing, which is hard to balance, but both succeed immeecely

"Get turnt with the love of theater" love that 😂

I love how much you love this show

Wait! You STILL didn't see Tina 😲😉

I also saw this show (in Sydney) this past weekend. I agreed about the toys scene - it felt like that this might be a leftover from another scene. The very very large puppet seems very expensive to use for such a short period. I loved the stagey tricks they put in like the bottomless bag and doll house. My biggest gripe is having the logo on the curtain (though I blame 9 to 5 for that distaste).

I'm glad to see you loved it as much as I loved it too. Such a perfect musical in every detail. Another musical I loved it is ONLY FIULLS AND HORSES. Its much more than I could expect. I hope to see you commenting on that as well very soon ;-)

You make my day.

We when to see Mary Poppins last November as family, we all loved it from grumpy non stagey hubby, 60 years old uncle, 90+ grandad 21 years old gen z, who in age of not believing, and me 40 something, we when wow at multiple times and cry at final flight and came home on the the tube singing the songs no alcohol involved

ps I'm a film scholar, but my engagement with film is completely conditioned and energized by my absolute cinephilia - so some of my admiration is a kind of identification. Your enthusiasms are what really make you the full theater scholar you are.

“Why does this make everyone cry?” I don’t know why but I cry EVERY time I see Tinkerbell fly out of the castle at Disney World during the fireworks. For some reason, these things are just really emotional.

I am going to london and cant decide between Mary poppins or back to the future...what should i do?

Mary Poppins was the movie I watched every day at my babysitter’s house when I was a toddler, so it’s probably the Disney movie I’m the most nostalgic about. I saw the show last night and it was lovely, but I didn’t get very emotionally attached to it. I mostly just was noticing all the ways it was different from the movie, even when I tried to put that aside. And they didn’t include one of my favorite songs, I Love to Laugh. It was definitely an amazing show, but as a Mary Poppins fan I have to say I think I got more sucked into the story when I saw Frozen.

Mary Poppins is my favorite Disney film. I really hope one day I will be able to see the show

I love this play Mary popins theater it was amazing performance I saw in seal berry

Have you heard anything about the upcoming Bedknobs and Broomsticks!

loved BOTH ....MARY POPPINS/FROZEN......excellent shows....different emotional levels....but GREAT

This makes me yearn for a broadway transfer even more. From America here. Saw the show a couple times several years back on its national tour. Once with Caroline Sheen and Gavin Lee and then another time with performers I can’t recall the names of (more on that later). Sheen and Lee were wonderful my first time around when I took my mom with me to see the show. Top performances by both. (It was obvious why Lee originated this role cause you could se show much fun he was having in every. single. damn. moment.) I oddly can’t remember much about Sheen as Poppins other than she more than fit the bill. I also have to say that other than BATB this show has the best overture/prologue sequence of any disney show. Second time around wasn’t as enjoyable. Whomever played Mary was not able to handle the role vocally. All of the songs not in the soprano register she had a very difficult time singing without a lot of exaggerated vibrato that was really pitchy. She more than handled all of the soprano and VERY soprano moments with ease though oddly enough. (I almost thought it was a different person singing when she got to her battle with Miss Andrew in the BAT reprise). I also remember that performance whomever played Mrs. Banks was prone to UPSTAGING Mary whenever they were both on stage, and also gave a stronger overall performance. Lastly my most vivid memory of that less than enjoyable experience was that this particular shows playroom set had roof that came down from the flies in combination with the nursery IIRC. Either it hit the outgoing set from the rest of the house as it was coming down or something idk. i just remember an audible smash and me wincing cause it sounded like something from the set broke. I also remember Mary didn’t do her final flight over the audience at the end of that show. instead they had her fly from one side of the wings to the other. My original experience seeing the show, Caroline sheen DID make her flight over the audience. Anyways… Never been crazy in love with the show as I have a few gripes with it- I recall from some attendees that sat beside us that they felt (myself included) the show ran a little long. Mostly noticed this after “Anything Can Happen” which feels like a big grande finale number… and then you have like 5/10 mins more closing exposition to go. Nit pic gripe but I hate CamMac removed “Temper, Temper” and put in “Playing The Game” for the toy nightmare sequence years back cause it was “too scary” for kids. It had some of the most radical vocal moments i’ve ever heard in a MT song ever.

8:26 I know the question was rhetorical, but... Scarlett Strallen.

I didn't think Charlie (Stemp) was playing Bert any more?

Are you going to do a video review of Beauty and the Beast. I know you did the written one for what’s on stage.’are you going to do a video review to elaborate on your points??

i agree about feed the birds

I'm a fan too ❤️

I found this out recently, Zizi is bonnie Langfords niece

Review Bedknobs and Broomsticks?

It’s a shame Charlie Stemp wasn’t there. He’s insanely-crazy talented

I still know how to spell Supercalifriagilisticexpilidocious because of this show.

You look like a Disney Prince yourself: Prince Eric in "THE LITTLE MERMAID".

I DESPISE zip-up hoodies. I will only buy pullover ones for musicals

Are the penguins in it?

I love the film Seen a couple of clips of it from west end live Zizi strallen seems brilliant as Poppins but I did find the kid characters very annoying Might just be me

Ur back with Ur old camera set up.... should we be worried

I love the show and enjoyed this production of it, but I'm sorry to say I wasn't a huge fan of Zizi as Mary. you mentioned her being effortless, but I felt she was quite miscast in it. She couldn't sing it as beautifully as needed and I must say her acting was not to my liking. It may well have been a weaker performance or just personal taste for Mary, but she didn't do it for me, personally. I did like her in other shows...

I've never seen the show either. I like the second film slightly better.

Thanks for the bert spoiler

I thought it was lame

Out side of the original movie, the best, & very emotional, Mary Poppins flight can be seen at kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hs6SeNWCqrvHn5s.html