MARY POPPINS BRADFORD REVIEW
THURSDAY 12TH JUNE 2025 @ 2:30PM
BRADFORD ALHAMBRA THEATRE
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
If there’s one musical that’s beloved by both children and adults alike, it’s the classic Disney musical, Mary Poppins. With its UK tour underway, the nearest stop to me was at the Bradford Alhambra. You know I love a day trip, so of course, I had to visit. Let’s get straight into my Mary Poppins Bradford review.
PRE-SHOW THOUGHTS
Whilst this is the first time I’ve seen this production on tour, I did see Mary Poppins in the West End back in 2022 with Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins and Charlie Stemp as Bert. Both of them were practically perfect in every way (sorry, I had to), so when I saw it was the Australian leads taking part in the tour, I was mostly worried about the accents! However, with Matthew Bourne in charge of directing and choreographing the show, I knew the production value would be exceptional for a touring production! Most of us grew up with the soundtrack too, so it’s always lovely to hear live on stage.
THE CAST
The cast is led by Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins. She’s delightful and is completely at one with the character. Everything from her vocals to her stage presence is sublime. I was very pleased with her accent, too!
Jack Chambers as Bert is an absolute star. He’s an incredible dancer, and I wish Bert’s songs got to show off his vocals a little better, too. I personally think a Cockney accent is really hard to do. His interpretation wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t awful either.
I’ve been a big fan of Lucie-Mae Sumner since seeing her in Titanic and I Should Be So Lucky (very different shows), and she’s a delight as Winifred Banks. I wish it were a larger role because I’m a massive fan of her vocals. Also, I’m disappointed that they cut out Winifred being a suffragette from the musical. She’s now a former actress, but the suffragette storyline would’ve been more meaningful.
Michael D. Xavier as George Banks is another esteemed performer, and I love the character growth from him. He gets more solos than other characters, and he’s definitely a leading man.
Playing Jane and Michael Banks were Katie Ryden and Charlie Donald. The Banks siblings are massive roles for a kids’ musical, as they’re on stage more than most characters. You really did feel like the pair of them were siblings, and they also had lovely singing voices.
THE PRODUCTION
There’s nothing budget about this touring production. In fact, I think it might be the same set that I saw in the West End. All of the magic and illusions are still there, and everything on stage is of such high quality. From costuming to lights, from props to set design, it’s such a professional tour.
The score obviously holds so much nostalgia for so many. I used to watch the original musical with my grandparents often. Whilst I love the additional songs in the musical and many are spectacular, the second act especially feels like a bunch of reprises for the most part, with five in total. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does feel repetitive.
My favourite part of most shows has to be the choreography. With Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear at the helm, I knew it would be a highlight. I personally loved the mixture of ballet throughout the scenes and, of course, Step In Time’s tap sequence. When I tell you that it’s in my top five musical numbers ever, it’s not an exaggeration.
Story time: At uni, I was meant to star as Mary Poppins in the number for my performing arts society’s showcase. However, I suffered a slipped disc a couple of weeks before the performance, and I’ve never been so gutted! We were going to do a full-out tap spectacular, with beginner tappers in some parts, and two others and I as the experienced tappers. Tap became my favourite dance style from the age of 11, and it was set to be my shining moment! Honestly, it was over ten years ago, and I’m still not over it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This show has everything for both kids and adults to find magical. If you appreciate a show that’s had a lot of thought and detail put into it, this is the musical for you. I don’t care if you’re 11 or 91! Whilst I love new musicals, spending a few hours watching a classic is unbeatable.
Whilst the new songs might not quite stick in your brain as much as the classics, the show is visually and audibly stunning. There was such a buzz as we departed the theatre, which doesn’t always happen. You could hear people talking about who their favourite character was. Lots of people were singing the songs on the way to the train/bus station, too!
Quick note: Disney loves merch! I visited the booth and there was so much choice. The prices were steep in my opinion, but it was nice to see something other than just a T-shirt and a tote bag on offer. The staff member who served me said every Disney show has tonnes of merch on offer!
If you can catch Mary Poppins on tour at some point, I’d highly recommend it! Enjoyed my Mary Poppins Bradford review? Check out my other theatre reviews here. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok too.
