Review: Mary Poppins at Palace Theatre is ‘a whirlwind of whimsy and wonder’

Step into a world of whimsy and be transported to 1900s London as Cameron Mackintosh and Disney have teamed up to bring the family favourite film, Mary Poppins, back to Manchester’s Palace Theatre stage.

Mary Poppins is based on the classic 1964 Disney film of the same name, which starred Dame Julie Andrews as a kind-hearted but no-nonsense nanny and bagged her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Mary Poppins at Palace Theatre

The much-loved musical comedy follows Mary Poppins as she sweeps—quite literally—into the lives of a family in need of a firm but fair nanny to care for their two spirited children.

Arriving with her trusty umbrella, a magical carpet bag, and a hint of enchantment, Mary Poppins is, as she famously puts it, “practically perfect in every way.”

This beloved classic has been beautifully reimagined for the stage, capturing the heart of the original while adding fresh energy and theatrical magic.

Taking on the iconic role with grace and charisma, Stefanie Jones brings a modern charm to Mary Poppins. With a pitch-perfect old English accent, powerful vocals, and just the right touch of sass, she captures the essence of the character while making it her own.

Even when she’s not centre stage, Stefanie stays completely in character—watch her in the background and you’ll spot a mischievous twinkle in her eye and a knowing smile.

Visually, she’s every inch the Mary we remember. Her standout look? The signature red coat, paired with her magical accessories—the umbrella and that endlessly surprising carpet bag—instantly recognisable and utterly enchanting.

Mary makes her first magical entrance during “Practically Perfect,” one of the show’s new songs, after the audience is introduced to Cherry Tree Lane and the mischievous siblings, Jane and Michael.

Katie Ryden and Charlie Donald

The two child stars Katie Ryden and Charlie Donald are up to their usual tricks when Mary appears, she answers their torn-up plea for a nice nanny who will play with them rather than scold them, take them on adventures, not tell them to go to their rooms.

All of the children’s prayers are answered when Mary takes them on a mundane trip to the park that turns into a spectacular show and earns the pair’s trust and admiration immediately.

The young actors played their parts perfectly, keeping up with their grown-up co-stars on stage during all the musical numbers and delivering stand-out one-liners that crack the audience up.

The audience were left with their mouths open like a codfish during the first act when the absolutely incredible and intricate set designs were revealed. The Banks family home on Cherry Tree Lane reveals itself like page from a pop-up storybook that has come to life.

From a simple illustration at the back of the stage, the walls of the house appear and begin to unfold, with stairs popping up and the roof towering over the set.

No detail is left out, family heirlooms sit high on shelves, the living room has artworks on the walls and Mr Banks’s study has a real wooden desk.

But as you delve deeper into the magical world of Mary Poppins, you realise that the house was probably one of the least technically challenging set designs to create in the show, as the wow factor really ramps up during the second act.

Introducing the show and starring in many of the musical numbers is Bert, Mary Poppins’s friend, played by Jack Chambers.

The cheeky chappy cockney is a jack of all trades, popping up whenever he’s needed and wherever he can earn a few shillings.

Mary and Bert

The friendship between Mary and Bert is a joy to watch, and Jack delivers a stand-out performance in the tap dance routine to Step in Time.

The show is full of original songs like Chim Chim Cher-ee, Spoonful of Sugar and Step In Time, which are iconic and timeless on their own.

This show takes them to the next level by combining them with incredible choreography and set designs that transform the stage to create magical scenes.

From an explosion of flowers and statues that come to life in Jolly Holiday, gravity-defying stunts in Step In Time, to a fast-paced spelling of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, there isn’t a song in the show that hasn’t been ramped up in some way.

There are many jaw-dropping moments throughout the show that leave you asking, ‘how did they do that?!’ With the answer being, theatre magic of course.

Mary Poppins is a world-class show that really has it all: incredible set designs, timeless classic songs, expertly choreographed dance routines, lovable characters with detailed storylines, and a whole bunch of Disney magic.

Mary Poppins is perfect in every way.

Tickets for Mary Poppins at Palace Theatre

The show will fly away when the wind changes on the 17th of May, so get your tickets for this supercalifragilistic show today.

You can get tickets by clicking here