Mary Poppins, bless her socks just could not make the medicine go down in last performance at the Queen Elizabeth theatre.
The beginning was slow and sang by children in a voice that only dogs could hear. The middle saw the introduction of the kid’s father – a manic depressant who might have just lost his job. Mrs Bates the mother was at a loss as to how to handle the kids without a nanny. My first thought was give them a good wallop followed by the number to social services.
Then came the tap dancing chimney sweeps – by this point I am thinking ‘will there ever be an intermission’!
The second half was short, the culmination of which was for us all to see Ms Poppins hoisted into the air and float off into ......well nothing, the wire got caught in her under garments and the whole performance came to a grinding halt. The lights came up and a lady in a very pissed off voice said ‘sit still, we are having technical difficulties’ At that, many made a dash for the door sensing the pending re run again and again of trying to make Mary take to the sky. It was more than most could stand. I actually thought it was the highlight of the show.
Finally the curtain came back up, the lights dimmed and the two squeaky children, the aimless mother and the depressed father looked up towards the cheap seats and said.....’Good luck Mary’
There was something about Mary.......and I am not totally sure what it was. My wife on the other hand, loved it!