Review of Mary Poppins at Milton Keynes Theatre

The 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins is one of the most fondly remembered family films and has been a staple of many children's childhoods ever since its release. Adapted from P. L. Travers's book series featuring the famous nanny, it took until 2004 for the show to reach the stage, with this musical adaptation featuring a book by Julian Fellowes. The stage musical used the familiar songs from the film by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and added new ones by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, all under the watchful eye of co-creator Cameron Mackintosh. It is safe to say that many people were involved in bringing this show to the stage.

The story, of course, tells of the family Banks—father George, mother Winifred, and the tricky-to-handle children Michael and Jane. Following a job advertisement thrown into the fireplace, a nanny named Mary Poppins arrives at their home, and the Banks' family experiences a very different world than they have ever before.

Touring to select venues with extended stays, this show, directed by Richard Eyre, with co-direction from Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, is a West End standard taken to the roads of the UK under the careful eyes of tour director James Powell. It is unlikely you will have ever seen a production as lavish as Mary Poppins on the Milton Keynes Theatre stage. Fortunately, it is not style over substance, as this is as good as a family theatre production could ever be, with stunning staging, music, dance, and performances strong enough to grace any West End stage.

Mary Poppins herself is played prim and proper and, of course, practically perfect in every way by Stefanie Jones. There is a glorious sharpness to her performance with just a hint of sternness, which makes her in control and playful in equal measure. Her Poppins is her own, honouring those who have gone before, such as the remarkable Julie Andrews, but also making her own indelible mark on the role. Her musical numbers, such as Practically Perfect and A Spoonful of Sugar, are performed to perfection.

Her long-time friend and man of many roles, Bert, is played with a continuous mischief-making attitude by Jack Chambers. He brings his diverse skills as an actor, singer, and dancer to the stage in a captivating way. His defining moment culminates in the remarkable staging of Step In Time, perhaps the best scene and one of the most spectacular.

The Banks' parents are played superbly by Michael D. Xavier as George and Lucie-Mae Sumner as Winifred. Sumner plays Winifred sweetly and innocently, and allows her emotional growth to show more as the story progresses. Her performance of the song Being Mrs Banks is, as a result, a beautiful moment in the show. George is often the complete opposite: a frenetic, charged performance by Xavier, unwilling to suffer fools or anything that goes against the correct way of life. Xavier brings more than a hint of the slightly more upper-class Basil Fawlty to the role of George, first performed by British comedy actor David Tomlinson, including awkwardness and double-takes aplenty. It is a cracking, typically British performance, indeed.

Patti Boulaye brings the Bird Woman to evocative life, imbuing her signature song, Feed the Birds, with all the emotion it needs. Elsewhere, there is a fabulous pairing in the Banks' servants, with both Rosemary Ashe as Mrs Brill and Ruairidh McDonald as Robertson Ay mining all the humour possible from their respective roles.

The children's roles are shared by several young performers on the tour, and here I saw Connie Jones as Jane and Oli Manning as Michael. Both are excellent in their weighty roles, but Manning in particular is extremely strong as the cheeky young lad.

The set is a revelation, every inch of the West End show on tour, with, in particular, the glorious storytelling staging, opening with a novel-like beginning and plunging us into the world of 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Further reveals lead us into the Banks children's room, and a further set treat comes during the song Playing the Game, which is a hugely pleasant and creepy surprise.

Musically, the show is pristine, with the large orchestra, led by Isaac McCullough, filling the theatre with familiar and slightly less familiar tunes. The lighting is equally top-notch, allowing epic switches from the dowdy world to the environments Mary and Bert lead us into.

There are, as you would expect, a lot of fabulous illusions bringing the story to the stage, far too many to mention. However, part of the charm is being surprised by them as they appear, so let me say: they are all excellent, and many of them you will leave wondering how they managed to do that.

The stage version from Fellowes draws on darker aspects of the novels not included in the 1964 film, and as a result, some moments may scare younger children. However, the production does have a no-under-5 policy and 7+ guidance, which is sensible for the creepier aspects.

Mary Poppins is the best of the best as regards touring theatre, easily the most visually extravagant I have seen at Milton Keynes Theatre, and the very best family show I have seen there. While it is not a cheap show to see, it is, without doubt, one of the most expensive-looking shows you can see on the road, so, if you are only able to see one show as a family at this time, make a journey to Cherry Tree Lane your destination.

Superpoppinstasticexpialidocious! As good as family theatre gets.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Friday 31st October 2025 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.

Mary Poppins runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 22nd November 2025.

For further details about Milton Keynes, see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

For further details of the Mary Poppins tour, see the website at https://marypoppins.co.uk/

Photographs: Danny Kaan