Photo: Kyle Froman
Disney’s national touring production of the Mary Poppins musical is great, fun and colorful. Its cast is excellent, too, with one strange exception: Mary Poppins herself.
As Mary, the magical nanny, Madeline Trumble was the only one who seemed overly showy, clearly putting on a performance, whereas the rest of the actors were much more natural and performed as a cohesive unit. She would sing out to the audience, while everyone else sang to one another. Maybe that’s on purpose, but in the 1964 Disney movie on which this is based (my all-time favorite film, by the way), Mary was much more charismatic.
My 12-year-old daughter turned to me at intermission and said, “Mary Poppins isn't supposed to be that grumpy.” Mary was stern in the movie, but you still loved her. In a stage show like this, you can't see the actors’ facial expressions, so maybe Trumble had that wink-wink, but she seemed like she wasn’t having any fun.
The sets were all wonderful, and the show re-creates a lot of the most popular sequences from the movie. “Step in Time,” with all the dancing chimney sweeps, was especially amazing. The film’s carousel scene was changed to work for the stage, but it had the same feel to it. And “Feed the Birds” was pretty poignant; they did a good job with that.
The male lead, Bert, was my favorite character, and University of Oklahoma alum Con O’Shea-Creal was absolutely freaking amazing. He played it so close to Dick Van Dyke’s character, but without copying him. O'Shea-Creal just had the same charisma, that side smile.
Both the kids (Madison Ann Mullahey and Zachary Mackiewicz as Jane and Michael Banks) were terrific, too. I felt like I was watching a world of Mary Poppins ... except for Mary Poppins. Am I judging her unfairly because I love Julie Andrews so much? I don't know, but we heard others saying the same thing as we left. Trumble and the Mrs. Banks character (Elizabeth Broadhurst) had similar singing voices, but there was a warmth to Broadhurst that made me think she would have made a better Mary.
Still, the show as a whole was great. What I love most is that its theme of family togetherness still resonates; money is not what's important. As I watched the opening-night performance at Civic Center Music Hall while the presidential election results poured in outside, it was tough not to think about how that holds true today. —Malena Lott
Hey! Read This:
• For Mary Poppins, University of Oklahoma grad inhabits the role of chimney sweep in the most delightful way
As Mary, the magical nanny, Madeline Trumble was the only one who seemed overly showy, clearly putting on a performance, whereas the rest of the actors were much more natural and performed as a cohesive unit. She would sing out to the audience, while everyone else sang to one another. Maybe that’s on purpose, but in the 1964 Disney movie on which this is based (my all-time favorite film, by the way), Mary was much more charismatic.
My 12-year-old daughter turned to me at intermission and said, “Mary Poppins isn't supposed to be that grumpy.” Mary was stern in the movie, but you still loved her. In a stage show like this, you can't see the actors’ facial expressions, so maybe Trumble had that wink-wink, but she seemed like she wasn’t having any fun.
The sets were all wonderful, and the show re-creates a lot of the most popular sequences from the movie. “Step in Time,” with all the dancing chimney sweeps, was especially amazing. The film’s carousel scene was changed to work for the stage, but it had the same feel to it. And “Feed the Birds” was pretty poignant; they did a good job with that.
The male lead, Bert, was my favorite character, and University of Oklahoma alum Con O’Shea-Creal was absolutely freaking amazing. He played it so close to Dick Van Dyke’s character, but without copying him. O'Shea-Creal just had the same charisma, that side smile.
Both the kids (Madison Ann Mullahey and Zachary Mackiewicz as Jane and Michael Banks) were terrific, too. I felt like I was watching a world of Mary Poppins ... except for Mary Poppins. Am I judging her unfairly because I love Julie Andrews so much? I don't know, but we heard others saying the same thing as we left. Trumble and the Mrs. Banks character (Elizabeth Broadhurst) had similar singing voices, but there was a warmth to Broadhurst that made me think she would have made a better Mary.
Still, the show as a whole was great. What I love most is that its theme of family togetherness still resonates; money is not what's important. As I watched the opening-night performance at Civic Center Music Hall while the presidential election results poured in outside, it was tough not to think about how that holds true today. —Malena Lott
Hey! Read This:
• For Mary Poppins, University of Oklahoma grad inhabits the role of chimney sweep in the most delightful way
It has actually been said by other theater critics that Madeline played a very warm and loving Mary, with just the right amount of sternness. I have seen 3 others in the part, and they were far more "grumpy", if that is even the right word. So I wonder what you would have said to their performances! Probably not that they were "absolutely freaking amazing", which in my opinion is not a phrase that one should see in a journalistic review of any type.
And yes, Madeline Trumble is not Julie Andrews, but she is however just as equally talented. And because the stage musical is based on the books, and is not a copy of the movie, that requires a different sort of Mary. So not only are you putting down Ms. Trumble, but also the creative team who chose her over hundreds of others to play the part.
There are ways of critiquing people, and then there are ways of putting people down, and I am afraid that you, Ms. Lott, do not know the difference.
Just an FYI - Elizabeth Broadhurst did not play Mrs. Banks on Tuesday night. You should have received an insert in your program noting that Kerry Conte was playing the role that night.
Also FYI - the character in the stage production is a combination of the character in P.L. Travers' books and that of Julie Andrew's portrayal in the film. The actor portraying Mary is directed to perform a certain way (your references to "putting on a performance" and singing out to the audience)- these are not choices made by the actor. The success of Mary Poppins suggests that most theatre-goers enjoy the way that Mary is portrayed. And many of us who have seen Ms. Trumble in the role have particularly enjoyed her portrayal and performance and are surprised at the negativity towards her in this review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Mary Poppins played by Madeline Trumble and felt she made her her own. I am relieved she was not doing a Julie Andrews take on the role as this show is much closer to the way the book was written. I grew up on the books and Pl Travers described a stern , but affectionate nanny and Madeline played it this way . Practically Perfect was fantastic. I loved the entire show , there are songs and scenes never seen in the Disney movie and if you don't have these expectations you will rediscover the wonderful world of the true Mary Poppins.
I just saw the show in Jacksonville last night (1/24/13) and it was the first time I have ever walked out on a show! It was only me, the other person who I went with (musical theatre background) was not impressed either. I couldn't get past Trumble's constant vibrato and the fact that she was singing much higher than was written and it felt contrived and pushed. The reason why we left was because how much we dreaded her singing. Bert character was great and the little boy who played Michael Banks, Eli Tokash, was superb. I had to check online to see if there was anyone else who was wondering how she got cast. Of course local critics always sing a show's praises, so I went in search of "real" comments. Glad to know we weren't the only others who recognize her poor performance.