Gawd bless yer Mary Poppins. And gawd bless producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh for having the foresight more than 40 years ago to see that the 1964 film would make the ideal stage musical. Well, in the words of the super nanny herself: 'practically perfect'.
Thanks to that foresight, the theatre fans in the UAE have the opportunity until May 25 to enjoy this brilliant show being performed at Dubai Opera.
In many ways, I enjoyed the stage show more than the film. To see the many — and incredibly slick — scenery changes was a thrill in itself. One moment you are in the living room of the Banks family and the next you are in the bedroom of the two Banks's children, with Mary Poppins pulling hat stands out of her bag. Don't blink because you would miss the stage morphing into the London street — Cherry Tree Lane — where the family home sits. Next you are in the bank where George Banks (Neil Roberts) works and then, as if Mary had miraculously waved her magic umbrella, we watch in awe as Bert and his chimney sweep pals are brilliantly tap dance away on a rooftop as they sing a rousing rendition of Step In Time.
Every film fan knows how Dick Van Dyke made a mockery of the cockney accent in the movie that received 13 Academy Award nominations. Indeed, Van Dyke, who is now 91 years of age, freely admits that even today he gets real Londoners coming up to him asking “’Ow you got away wiv that stupid accent”.
Bert as played by Matt Lee will have no such confrontations, despite being brought up in Australia. Thanks to voice training, his cockney accent holds up to scrutiny. I'm sure the author of Mary Poppins, P L Travers, would have approved as she was also born and raised Down Under.
The final song of Act 1, a reprise of Chim Chim Cher-ee from Mary and Bert, has the audience singing along. Indeed, it was difficult to find anyone, young or not so young, who was not still singing merrily away as they queued to order interval refreshments.
As for Mary what can you say except she is played brilliantly by Zizi Strallen. It’s a part Strallen should know very well, since her sister Scarlett played Mary on Broadway and in London’s West End.
But as far as this touring stage show is concerned, Strallen has made the part very much her own. One cannot imagine how stressful and tiring it must be to be on stage for virtually the entire show — and it’s a long show, more than two-and-a-half hours. But she achieves it with that cheeky smile always intact.
Strallen must also have a lot of courage because she spends time flying high, umbrella aloft, over the stage and, in the final scene, above the audience, which on the night I attended included tennis ace Roger Federer and his family. The Swiss sportsman’s daughters would have received much joy from the super performances of the Banks’s children, Jane (Violet Tucker) and Michael (Lewis Fernee). These two parts are shared by four boys and four girls, but with the standard and professionalism of the entire cast, I’m sure none of them would disappoint in any performance.
Bert also shows his nerve and skills when he dances up the side of a wall and then, upside down, on a roof — still singing.
The biggest laughs of the night were raised by the Banks's maid, Mrs Brill. Wendy Ferguson's voice and demeanour reminded me of Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables, which is not at all surprising considering that is one of many parts she has played during her career.
There is not a lot — if anything — to complain about in this production of one of the world’s best-loved stories.
All you can say really is that superziziisfantastic ... and the rest of the cast are not bad either.
* Mary Poppins is at Dubai Opera until May 25; tickets start from Dh250. For more information visit www.dubaiopera.com
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
4.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,800m
Winner Meqdam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
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Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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