Review: Mary Poppins at Bristol Hippodrome

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Mary Poppins has landed at Bristol Hippodrome! Last night we were invited to watch the Mary Poppins musical, and what we watched was not at all what I expected....

The musical adaptation is a variation of the beloved film, with new musical numbers, a slightly different plot line, some new characters and places to get to know, but with all of the same charm and feel good factor of the original story - and Mary Poppins is practically perfect as usual.

The alternate story gives Mr and Mrs Banks more of their own character arc too, which I loved. They each have their own character traits that were explored along the way, rather than simply being the reason that Jane and Michael exist. I'm trying desperately not to give spoilers, but lets just say we got an insight into Mr Banks past too....

Being the iconic Mary Poppins it needed to be as perfect as the show's namesake, and it absolutely was. The staging, special effects and sprinkles of magic were mind blowing - it left four adults spending most of the drive home discussing how on earth they pulled off some of the tricks live. Not to mention how clever the transitions were.

Every performer was incredible - how anyone can simultaneously sing AND tap dance while upside down is beyond me. There were several operatic numbers that had people cheering so loudly that they had to pause the performance for a minute while people settled down, and the discipline of the two youngest actors was admirable.

This definitely isn't your standard Mary Poppins on stage adaptation, but that's ok. I can imagine that for a parent who has been forced to watch the film so many times that they've lost count, the new angle must be very refreshing. For kids, imagine thinking you know the tale off by heart then you're introduced to new settings and characters that you never knew existed. The musical perfectly walked the line of being different but keeping everyone happy. From the mix of new and old musical numbers to humour for the kids (as well as a few jokes that only the adults understood), it's well worth grabbing a ticket to experience it for yourself!

The show runs until 30th November and there are still some value promise tickets available so you could watch it for as little as £15 - having seen it, that feels like an absolute bargain and worth every penny!

Buy your tickets for Mary Poppins The Musical

Love and Feathers, 

 The Owlet 💛 

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