Showing posts with label mary poppins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mary poppins. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

MARY POPPINS - Inspired from Children’s Series Book

Mary Poppins on Broadway today is only an inspired version from the book written by P. L. Travers which was illustrated by Mary Shepard. That book talks about the strange and magical English nanny named Mary Poppins. She came to Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London in the family of Banks. She takes care of their children. The kids experience different adventures with chimney sweeps and shopkeepers until Mary Poppins suddenly pops out.

Mary Poppins
Photo  by Sam Howzit 
The adventure does not only take place in one book but up until to the eight book. Mary Poppins can only be seen arriving and leaving in the first three books. It is explained by P. L. Travers that "She cannot forever arrive and depart" in that next five books.

It was then brought to musical Disney film in 1964 which starred by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Then there was a stage musical adaptation in the West End theatre during the year 2004. By the year 2006, it was transferred to Broadway. Till now it is still running and more people are coming to watch the show. It is as successful as the classic 1964 film.

In fact, by the year 1938, there was already an attempt to purchase the film rights to Mary Poppins from P. L. Travers. Unluckily, Travers rejected the offer due to his belief that the film is not capable of giving justice to her work and she did not want an animated cartoon based on it. Fortunately, in the year 1961 Walt Disney succeeded but Travers demanded script approval rights.

It consumed two years of planning the film and composing the songs. Sherman Brothers created the songs in the film. The casts were played by Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyke as supporting the role of Bert, Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber as the Banks children and David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns as Mr. and Mrs. Banks. The film is rated G by the MPAA. It was observed that Mary was kinder than in her character in Traver's novels.

You can see all the adventures from the book in the films. You will witness additional adventures added by Walt Disney and his associates.

Six years ago a musical version of Mary Poppins opened at the Prince Theatre, London which is inspired by the Disney film and the books. It was praised by many viewers and luckily recommended for nine 2005 Olivier Awards. They won awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Laura Michelle and Best Theatre Choreography for Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear. The original music and lyrics by Sherman brothers was use and was added with new songs and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.


By the year 2006, a Broadway production opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York. It was a box office success and even nominated for Tony Awards for seven times. In fact, they won Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Bob Crowley. There are tour productions to many places among are National UK tour and National US tour.

Mary Poppins continue being friendly and helpful from the Disney film. She became vainer than her film portrayal following the books.


    Sebastian Mayer has watched some great shows of Broadway. - Article Source: GoArticles