I do think, though, that they could have left in a great piece like 'Fidelity Fiduciary Bank' if they'd cut the scene with the dancing statues in the park. Not that it's bad, and it's apparently in the book (which I haven't read) but it's rather unnecessary, and not as good as several of the unused songs. Maybe I just don't like dancing statues.
Last night I went to see the stage production of 'Mary Poppins' with one of my sisters, who had given me tickets for Christmas (thanks, Rebecca!). At first I wasn't sure I would be able to enjoy it: I'd picked up some sort of bug and had been feeling miserable all day. With enough ibuprofen on board, however, I was good to go. And I'm glad I went, because we had a great time. 'Mary Poppins' is delightful. It is based on both the Disney movie and P.L. Travers' books, and some scenes are almost directly lifted from the film, while others are completely different. The play follows basically the same plot as the movie, with a few significant changes. The role of Mrs. Banks is expanded quite a bit, and her relationship with Mr. Banks more troubled. As well, the children in the musical are much brattier than the ones in the movie. The relationship between Mary Poppins and Bert is also expanded, and they have several more scenes together. Some characters from the movie have been left out entirely, while a few new ones have been added. The creepy Miss Andrew is one of these, and is a delightful villain. The same goes for the songs- some from the film are used, though in different settings and at different points in the narrative. Other songs, like 'Sister Suffragette', 'I Love To Laugh', and 'Fidelity Fiduciary Bank' have been left out, and some new songs written specifically for the musical added. Most of these fit well into the spirit of the musical, despite not having been written by the Sherman brothers (due to P.L. Travers' unrelenting resentment of all things Disney). I do think, though, that they could have left in a great piece like 'Fidelity Fiduciary Bank' if they'd cut the scene with the dancing statues in the park. Not that it's bad, and it's apparently in the book (which I haven't read) but it's rather unnecessary, and not as good as several of the unused songs. Maybe I just don't like dancing statues. This, however, is a mere quibble. The musical as a whole is really enjoyable, and it's great fun when the cast breaks into 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and 'Step In Time'. 'Mary Poppins' is funny, nostalgic, and bittersweet, and if you have the opportunity, I'd definitely recommend going to see it.
Comments
|
About MeI'm a lover of good books, classic movies, and well-written shows (as well as some pretty cheesy ones, to be completely honest). Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
Fun SitesOdds & Ends |