Saturday, January 07, 2023

Mary Poppins - Prince Edward Theatre


Youngest sister Steph, having decided to treat one of her nieces, maytrees ma who is our oldest daughter, her oldest child, our  grandchild 'micro dot'  and mrs maytrees, to see the musical Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre Old Compton Street W1 at lunchtime on new year's eve, I was looking forward to having a day alone in Wimbledon.

When  Steph announced on 30th December that she would be unable to go because of an heavy cold, having told mrs maytrees that I was reluctant to step in my sister's stead, I was then persuaded to attend by maytrees ma's offer of having an early lunch with them all before the show.

Surprisingly, the train to London Waterloo was packed though we travelled to town on what I recall was a train-strike day. The lunch at an Italian restaurant opposite the Prince Edward Theatre was excellent. There were crowds in the streets which surprised me slightly given the disruption to the trains.

We then joined the long queue at the theatre. Amazingly to me at least, there was not a spare seat to be seen in the theatre even in the expensive seats (we were in the second row from the stage) that youngest sister had kindly provided. The theatre has, I assume quite recently, been restored to its former glory and was very comfortable.

Micro dot who is nine years old, was rivetted throughout the two and a half hour performance. 

Quite unexpectedly, given my earlier  wish to avoid attending, I too found the whole show to be excellent as of course did mrs maytrees  and maytrees ma. 

There was a very large cast and  live orchestra, the latter  were all in the old fashioned theatre pit, all of whom performed and played excellently. 

At one time, the performance had unexpectedly to be temporarily halted for some 20 minutes, I believe for health and safety reasons. Shortly after  play resumed, one actor had to walk upside down on the stage ceiling whilst singing. Later  Mary Poppins herself seemed to fly over the audience into the theatre. Both actors played brilliantly in what seemed to me to be difficult conditions.

An excellent day out in London.

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