Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins
BDT Stage
Boulder, CO
May 16 - September 5, 2015

I have seen the national Mary Poppins tour twice and I was interested in how a regional company would produce the show. So, when BDT Stage announced the show this season, I was very interested to see it.

The sets for the show were well done. The noise they made while they rolled onto the stage was distracting from the action taking place, but the audience was effectively taken from the Banks’ home to the park and even the rooftops.

The costumes were wonderfully transforming into Edwardian England. While the dialects were inconsistent throughout the show, the audience didn’t seem to mind.

The performances by the cast were strong. Even the children were impressive. But the real stand out was the choreography. During “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” the complex moves were performed quickly and in sync by the entire cast. It was an impressive feat. “Step In Time” was also a highlight with energetic dance moves to go with the peppy song.

The special effects weren’t seamless. The wires creating the flying sequences were always visible, but given the difficulty of the production it’s a flaw we are willing to accept.

I also appreciated the British slant to the menu to go along with the show. The shepherd’s pie and bangers and mash weren’t bad. The food only added to the fun.

I give credit to BDT Stage for taking on such an ambitions and well-loved production. And it was practically perfect!