Disney and Cameron Mackintosh today (1 July 2022) announce the final extension for the West End run of the Olivier Award-winning Mary Poppins which will celebrate its final West End performance at the Prince Edward Theatre on 8 January 2023. Tickets for this final extension go on general sale at 11am today.
Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the original Walt Disney film, this production of Mary Poppins opened in October 2019 and played to March 2020 when it closed due to the Covid shutdown. Post pandemic the production re-opened in August 2021 with nightly standing ovations and will now play a further six-month extension into Christmas and New Year. Mary Poppins continues to spread her magic around the globe, having just opened in Tokyo earlier this year and Sydney in May where it has been received wonderfully by critics and audiences alike.
Cameron Mackintosh said “When the new revised production of Mary Poppins opened at the end of 2019 with a tremendous cast headed by Zizi Strallen, Charlie Stemp and Petula Clark, the response was even more ecstatic than the original. We had always planned to run two years until the physical production was required elsewhere but covid managed to stretch our timetable into 2023 allowing everyone to enjoy an additional supercalifragilistic last Christmas jolly holiday season. Mary Poppins has remained a timeless and timely, uplifting and joyous theatrical experience – but Mary never says goodbye, only au revoir… till we meet again.”
Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer of Disney Theatrical Productions, said “Over its 18 years on stage, each new production of Mary Poppins has managed to speak to us in new, resonant ways – and never more than in this jewel of a production under Richard Eyre’s loving oversight. As they continue playing in productions around the world, Mary, Bert and the entire Banks family have still much to share – as Mary herself says, ‘with a good deal of love’.”
The stage production originally opened in the West End in December 2004, running for over 1,250 performances. During this time, the production won two Olivier Awards and an Evening Standard Award. Subsequently the Tony Award®-winning Broadway production ran for over six years. Mary Poppins was also the winner of Best Musical Revival at the 2020 Whatsonstage Awards and Best Set Design and Best Theatre Choreographer awards at the 2020 Olivier Awards.
The magical story of the world’s favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane has been triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The stage version of Mary Poppins, brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the original beloved Walt Disney film, continues to be a smash hit around the world since its opening in London 18 years ago.
The original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman include the classic songs Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Feed the Birds and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. New songs and additional music are by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Book is by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes and this production is co-created by Cameron Mackintosh. The producer for Disney Theatrical Productions is Thomas Schumacher. This production of Mary Poppins has orchestrations by William David Brohn with dance and vocal arrangements by George Stiles. Sound design is by Paul Gatehouse and lighting is by Hugh Vanstone and Natasha Katz. Co-choreography is by Stephen Mear. The reimagined set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley. Co-direction and choreography is by Matthew Bourne and direction by Richard Eyre.
