Mary Poppins - Milton Keynes Review

Review by Mark

Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review

Wind’s in the East have blown Mary Poppins in to Milton Keynes this winter as the iconic musical tours the UK and Ireland.

Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins. Photo by Danny Kaan

The story follows the Banks family who are desperately seeking a new Nanny for their children. Enter Mary Poppins who sweeps Jane and Michael on a journey of self discovery and brings the entire family back together.

Across the board this is a production that is totally magical. You are instantly enchanted by the spectacle and the magic. It roots you back to the child that is inside you giving you a real sense of youth, freedom and joy. 

As soon as Stefanie Jones enters as Mary Poppins you are wrapped up by her warmth. Jones is magnificent throughout portraying the role with charm and class. Her vocals are gorgeous throughout and she just oozes talent. The way Jones interacts with the children makes you wish you had someone like her in your own childhood.

Jack Chambers wows as Bert. His dancing in particularly is on another level especially as you get to the Chimney Sweeps Classic ‘Step In Time’ in the second act. Without spoiling what happens your jaw drops the floor as the character does something that is so thrilling to watch. Chambers does suffer a bit with the cockney accent as some of what he is saying is ineligible but his delivery makes anything forgivable.

Michael D Xavier as George Banks and Lucie-Mae Sumner as Winifred Banks lead the family with heart and emotion. Xavier oozes the precision and order that he strives for but he is layered and as the show goes on you see the human behind the role. Sumner is never not enchanting as she assumes the role of wife and mother whilst hiding her own dreams. The combination together makes for a great key central relationship.

Jolly Holiday. Photo by Danny Kaan

On the press performance as Milton Keynes the role Jane Banks was played by Connie Jones and Michael Banks by Oli Manning. Both capture the roles perfectly. With that childish glee and sense for fun. They always light up the stage when they are on. 

Rosemary Ashe as Mrs Brill and Ruairidh McDonald as Robertson Ay excel as the household servants. They have a great sense of fun to the roles, playing off the eccentricities superbly. On the opposite to that Wendy Ferguson’s terrifying Miss Andrew would strike fear into anyone who encountered her. Her operatic vocals are outstanding.

Across the board the cast are magnificent. In a number of supporting roles you are constantly wowed by the work by everyone on stage. There are huge numbers that take your breathe away. Classic songs like ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ or ‘Jolly Holiday’ are staged with rich detail. Every moment is precisely detailed and the choreography by Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear is captured with skill and feeling. You really wish you were up there in this world yourself. 

Bob Crowley’s design captures the world with huge set pieces. 17 Cherry Tree Lane is well imagined, with a house set the opens out the unveil inside. With the use of physical sets, backdrops and the occasional projection the whole world of London is cleverly brought to life alongside lighting by Hugh Vanstone which adds a vibrant heart and soul to the staging.

The music of the Sherman Brothers along with newer songs by Stiles and Drewe never fail. From the get go the score and the songs fill you to the brim with happiness. The orchestra under the direction of Isaac McCullough sounds gorgeous and this helps to the soaring feeling of the whole production. 

There are so many stand out moments, too many to mention or even spoil. But the final moments as Mary says her farewells as her work is done and she takes flight is a real moment of theatricality that really deeply connects. In a production filled with stand out moments its final one strikes a chord inside as you watch Mary soar into the sky that undeniably makes you smile, or if you’re like me has you wiping away tears of total joy. 

Anything Can Happen. Photo by Danny Kaan

This is not just a show; it’s a beautiful, magical, and uplifting journey that will leave you feeling nostalgic for your own childhood and the memories of those times. It is a production that transports you away from any troubles you may be feeling and leaves you feeling elated as the curtain falls. Its themes of family, love, acceptance and reaching for the stars and beyond will resonate for every single person in the audience.

A phenomenal production across the board. Perfect for all ages. Come be swept up in this tale for a few hours and leave with extra pep in your step and a soaring feeling in your soul.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mary Poppins plays at the Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 22nd November 2025. Tickets are available from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/mary-poppins/milton-keynes-theatre/

The tour continues until 31st January 2026. Visit https://marypoppins.co.uk/ for full tour dates and venues.