I initially booked my tickets for Mary Poppins out of curiosity. I had always loved the film, though once I got older I did find it a bit too 'cutesy' for me at times, and so I was very interested to find out that the stage version was darker and deeper. However, being a bit of a purist I was a little worried that I'd spend the evening nitpicking. These worries completely vanished once the show started. It truly was the show with something for everybody - song and dance, comedy, stunts, puppetry, drama and even magic tricks - and everything about it was truly spectacular. Some of the songs are very different from their screen predecessors, but in my opinion they were an improvement. In fact, the show as a whole effortlessly combines elements from the books and the film to create a fresh, new experience. The new songs don't ever seem out of place, either, and it was great to hear people singing them on the way out of the theatre. It was also refreshing to see a show that didn't begin with a long overture, as though they are always very good, I often find myself wishing they would simply get on with it!

The sets in this show are probably the most impressive I have ever seen, as are the seamless scene changes - there were a couple of times when I realised I hadn't actually been aware of anything changing! In particular the multi-levelled set for the Banks' house is absolutely amazing, not to mention exceptionally detailed. Credit must also be given to the lighting and costumes, both of which really helped to create the atmosphere of the different environments. The costumes for the statues in Jolly Holiday were particularly impressive, as were the costumes worn to make members of the company look like Edwardian toys - a section of the show that was genuinely terrifying, even to a 19-year old like myself!

The cast was completely perfect too. Laura Michelle Kelly easily rose to the difficult challenge of following Julie Andrews, hitting just the right balance of seriousness and playful mischievousness for the character of Mary. Her voice was wonderfully suited too, and even just hearing 'Feed The Birds' on the cast CD, I get shivers up my spine! David Haig was equally brilliant as Mr Banks, making him a character that, towards the end of the show, I really felt sympathetic towards. The same is true of Mrs Banks (Linzi Hateley). In my opinion it was a good decision to change her from being a rather daft suffragette to a somewhat neglected housewife, and the song 'Being Mrs Banks' is another of the extremely moving moments in the show. I often find children on stage rather annoying, but the two I saw (Charlotte Spencer and Harry Stott) were a pleasant surprise, able to sing, dance and act just as well as the adult cast members. However, the real star of the show was, in my opinion, Gavin Lee as Bert. He was my favourite character in the film, and I had always felt that Dick van Dyke's performance had been absolutely perfect until he opened his mouth! This problem has been solved, as Gavin Lee's performance had a lot of the elements of the character from the film that I had loved, and also had a flawless Cockney accent! He is also a great singer and a phenomenal dancer. Part of Bert's role is to act as a sort of narrator, so it is vital that he establishes a connection with the audience right from the start, which he certainly succeeded in doing. In my opinion, the role of Bert now truly belongs to Gavin Lee, and I really don't see how he can be replaced.

All in all, the stage version of Mary Poppins is well worth the long wait it has taken for it to appear. Although it may not be suitable for very young children (who would most likely find the scene with the life-size toys very frightening), it really is a perfect family show. There is always something going on on stage, which means that there is never a dull moment. It is a show that I don't think I could ever get bored of seeing, and really has to be seen to be believed.