Mary Poppins at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh

Wow! What a supercalifragilisticexpialidious production this is!

After a lifetime of theatregoing I have never seen anything quite as magical. Paul Kieve and Jim Steinmeyer certainly deserve an accolade for creating such stunning illusions in a show which is spellbinding from beginning to end. You just won't believe what you're seeing (obviously I'm not going to give you any spoilers!).

I got goosebumps from the moment the orchestra began to play and Jack Chambers, as Bert, launched into Chim Chim Cher-ee, filling the stage with his cheeky cheerful presence, which remained evident throughout.

Mary Poppins may sing that she is 'practically perfect' but there is no 'practically' about Stefanie Jones' portrayal of the extraordinary nanny. She is absolutely perfect, from her diction and poise to her singing and dancing. What a joy, and a privilege, it was to see these two Australians perform.

The enjoyment doesn't stop with them. As the company ploughs through such favourites as Jolly Holiday, A Spoonful of Sugar, Let's Go Fly a Kite, and Patti Boulaye's soulful rendering of Feed the Birds, the story of the Banks' family and their superhuman nanny unfolds in (and above) Cherry Tree Lane, with Michael D Xavier as the inhibited Mr Banks and Luce-Mae Sumner as his caring wife, perfect (there's that word again) casting on both counts, And their children at Sunday's matinee performance played both naughty and nice perfectly.

Rosemary Ashe and Ruairidh McDonald memorably add to the fun element as the Banks' comic servants, while the whole company is to be applauded for playing everything from aged bankers to scantily-clad statues and tap-dancing chimney sweeps..

Wth the legendary Richard Eyre as director and Matthew Bourne as co-director and choreographer, you'd expect the best, and you get it. This production is just…perfect!

Image: Danny Kaan

Mary Poppins is at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh until Feb 15

Box Office: 0131 529 6000

capitaltheatres.com

The tour then continues:

Feb 26-Mar 29: Theatre Royal Plymouth

Apr 9-May 17: Palace Theatre Manchester

May 21-June 29: Alhambra Theatre Bradford

July 16-Aug 23: Birmingham Hippodrome

Aug 27-Sept 20: Mayflower Theatre Southampton

Oct 1-25: Sunderland Empire

Oct 29-Nov 22: Milton Keynes Theatre