Nanny state? Well, we sure do like to step in time for Mary Poppins
SHE’S a larger-than-life character and as such, it was no surprise that Mary Poppins received a warm Irish welcome as she descended on Dublin with her brolly. More than happy to lap up a spoonful of sugar at the award-winning Mary Poppins musical as it premiered in the capital last night were Love/Hate actors Aoibhinn McGinnity and Laurence Kinlan.
Also happily singing along to the show’s famous tunes including Jolly Holiday, Step In Time and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious were RTÉ broadcasters Marty Whelan, Colm Hayes and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh.
Another famous face on the opening night was Xposé host Lisa Cannon who revealed she may need a nanny in the coming years. The Ballymount-based broadcaster, who married her Welsh partner Richard Keatley in September in Italy, told the Irish Daily Mail that while she’s the maternal sort, she’s waiting until late next year before considering starting a family.
‘They’re all baby bumping me out of it at the moment in Xpose, it’s like bumper cars,’ she said.
‘I’m very maternal, of course, but there’s a bit of a bump fest at the moment so we’re going to wait a while.’
The brunette and her other half hosted a star-studded wedding party in Florence and the anchor admitted it will be a ‘lean’ Christmas this year as they’re still burdened with a hefty loan. ‘We’re having a low-key Christmas this year,’ she said. ‘We had an unbelievable day though, it was worth it.’
Last night stars of the show, Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins and Matt Lee who plays Bert, pictured, were cheered by families and well-known faces.
Their characters were played by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in the 1964 film version of Mary Poppins.
Boasting a cast of 45 people, an orchestra of 13, a crew of 100 and 18 huge trucks to move all the magic from one venue to the next, the Disney classic has touched down in Ireland for a four-week run at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
An ideal production to stage for the holiday season, Cameron Mackintosh’s musical is multi award-winning.
Based on the books by PL Travers, the hit stage show has proven to be an international success and has already delighted audiences on Broadway with more than 2,500 performances.
It has also received nominations for nine Olivier Awards and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The story follows the Banks children Jane and Michael, who have sent many a nanny packing – before the ultimate childminder with a magic touch arrives on their doorstep.
Mary Poppins will run at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, until January 9. See www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie for tickets