Rehearsals have begun for the August return of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s multi-award-winning Mary Poppins to its West End home, the Prince Edward Theatre.
As previously announced Zizi Strallen (Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre, Mary Poppins tour UK, Ireland and Dubai) will continue to take on the starring role as the magical nanny alongside Charlie Stemp (Half A Sixpence, West End, Hello, Dolly! Broadway) as Bert.
The production’s returning cast also includes veteran singing star Petula Clark (Sunset Boulevard, West End and Broadway) as Bird Woman, Amy Griffiths (Into the Woods, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Winifred Banks, Claire Machin (The Girls, Phoenix Theatre) as Mrs Brill and Jack North (The Country Wife, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Robertson Ay. They will be joined by Charlie Anson (American Psycho, Almeida Theatre) as George Banks, Liz Robertson (Love Never Dies, Adelphi Theatre) as Miss Andrew and Paul F. Monaghan (The Bridges of Madison County, Menier Chocolate Factory) as Bank Chairman and Admiral Bloom.
The ensemble is made up of Yves Adang, Angeline Bell, Lydia Boulton, Alison Connell, Adam Davidson, Danielle Delys, Joseph Dockree, Charlie Donnelly, Stan Doughty, Glen Facey, Davide Fienauri, Harry Francis, Lyndsey Gardiner, Ian Gareth-Jones, Maria Garrett, Mark Goldthorp, Jacqueline Hughes, Emma Hunter, Jason Kajdi, Sam Lathwood, Jordan Livesey,Tania Mathurin, Laura Medforth, Alex Pinder, Ben Redfern, Clare Rickard, Lucie-Mae Sumner, Scott Waugh and Monique Young.
Performances will resume at the Prince Edward Theatre from 7 August with tickets now on sale for performances through to 13 February 2022.
The winner of the Best Musical Revival at the 2020 WhatsOnStage Awards and Best Set Design and Best Theatre Choreographer Awards at last year’s Olivier Awards, Mary Poppins returned to its original London home, the Prince Edward Theatre in October 2019, 15 years after the musical version of the Disney film first appeared on the West End stage.
The stage version of the much-loved story of the magical nanny was co-created by Cameron Mackintosh with a book by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and featuring the timeless score by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman. New songs and additional music and lyrics are by the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
Co-directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne and Richard Eyre, Mary Poppins boasts orchestrations by William David Brohn with dance and vocal arrangements by George Stiles. The new sound design is by Paul Gatehouse with new lighting by Hugh Vanstone and Natasha Katz and co-choreography is by Stephen Mear. The reimagined set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley.
Announcing the August reopening date, Mackintosh said: “The last year has been unbelievably hard for everyone but particularly so for the theatre profession. I have been moved and inspired by the resilience and camaraderie of so many practitioners from all aspects of our industry who have taken on any job so that they and their families could survive.
“I am therefore thrilled to announce that the world’s most beloved Nanny is now able to return to give us a ‘Supercalifragilistic’ time from 7 August. Even if foreign travel is still a big question mark, Mary Poppins is the one ‘Jolly Holiday’ you can book with certainty this summer! A huge welcome back to the theatre to my wonderful artists and our brilliantly supportive audiences.”
On behalf of Disney Theatrical Productions, president and producer Thomas Schumacher added: “Theatre is a foundational human need that has roared back following every interruption for thousands of years. My friend Cameron Mackintosh and I believe that has never been truer than now. And that there is no better re-entry to theatre than Mary Poppins, a tale about the healing power of enchantment and a family made whole. What better time than now to spend an evening at 17 Cherry Tree Lane?”
Angela Thomas
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