Review: Maija Poppanen
Anything is possible
The musical, based on the novels by P.L. Travers (1899-1996), is probably best engraved in the memory of the general public as a Disney animated film (1964) starring Julie Andrews and Dick van. As a staunch fan of that film, I was eagerly awaiting the Finnish premiere at the Helsinki City Theatre.
I wasn’t disappointed. Hans Berndtsson has directed a traditional but most delightful, warm-hearted and captivating musical for the whole family on the big stage.
Richard M. and the original music of Robert B. Sherman , as well as new songs and music by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, transport the listener from one mood to another. Sometimes music makes laughter bubble in your stomach, sometimes it brings tears of emotion to your eyes. Familiar, catchy melodies are a pleasure to listen to played by a high-quality orchestra.
While Mary Poppins in Travers’ books is a rather angular and self-righteous character, in Disney’s version, the sturdy super nanny has softened and sweetened. In any case, the mysterious nanny, who flies with the winds in an umbrella and works magic, can be seen as a kind of spiritual teacher.
Poppanen’s message is that miracles do exist, as long as a person does not stand in their way, but allows them to be found. The miracle can be found in every moment, in the presence. In the words of the song: “Everything is possible.” However, not everything always happens exactly when you want it to: “Patience, patience”. And if you feel that life is confusing, you can think: “Super poplar biscuit rally”.
Visuals are pleasing to the eye
The scenography faithfully follows the style of a Disney movie. Katariina Kirjavainen, with the help of which numerous stage images are built on the stage.
Particularly successful in terms of set design is the hilarious cake frosting scene, where complete chaos is created in a clean kitchen in a few minutes. The dish shelves collapse, the wood-burning stove bursts into flames and the cuckoo falls.
Sari Salmela’s costumes come into their own, especially in the crowd scenes, where the abundance of colours and materials explodes on the viewer’s retina. A great example of this is the nightmarish courtroom scene, where grotesque toys burst out of the pores of the children’s room.
The skilful singing and dance ensemble visualises events and moods in an insightful way. There is a chilling lack of restraint, for example, in the bank scene, where bank employees dressed in black roll at a fast pace on branch chairs and skates.
High-quality package
The roles have been successfully manned by musical theatre professionals. Emmi Kangas Mary as Poppins delights with her gentle magic and radiant energy. Kangas and Tuukka Leppänen in the role of Perttu form a harmonious couple united by a mysterious connection to the realm of fairy tales.
In contrast to fairy tales and miracles, Eero Saarinen’s Yrjö Bank and Tove Wingren’s Vilma Bank, on the other hand, perfectly embody everyday parents. Financial worries weigh on you, unemployment threatens, your relationship lacks intimacy, and children are tiring. Presence and love are only possible when the trolls of the past have been faced.
In the child roles, Anna Bank and Mikko Bank have a quadruple cast. At the premiere, Nelli Matula and Akseli Ferrand will take the stage, performing their demanding roles naturally and accurately.
Judging by the audience’s reactions, one of the favourites is Antti Lang’s silly servant Ropponen. A great demonstration of Ropponen’s comedic skills is the ladder scene, which could be followed for a long time.
The audience was also delighted by Riitta Havukainen’s nanny, Neiti Anttonen, whose character has just the right amount of humour and perhaps a witch-like attitude that scares the youngest viewers.
The whole thing has a functional tempo and a high-quality look. The methods of traditional musical theatre have been successfully spiced up with a touch of magic tricks.
The performance also serves as a warm-hearted speech for fairy tales, miracles, eternity and love.