Arts Club presents a Disney classic
By Aidan Mouellic, Staff Writer
Just in time for the holidays, the Arts Club presents the hit Broadway musical, Mary Poppins. Playing at Vancouver’s Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, the 150-minute production will enchant audiences with its touching storyline and stunning musical numbers.
The show is directed by Bill Millerd and offers the audience a thrilling ride from beginning to end.
The musical follows the story of the Banks family, an upper class British household, who has trouble finding a suitable nanny for the two rambunctious children. Along comes Mary Poppins, played by the enchanting Sara-Jeanne Hosie, to make life an adventure for the Banks.
Poppins takes the Banks children, Jane (Kassia Danielle Malmquist) and Michael (Graham Verchere), on a journey that expands their minds and eventually brings the family closer than ever before. The two young cast members, who are only 13 and 12 years old respectively, performed marvellously and had the audience laughing many times.
Warren Kimmel, who plays the father, George Banks, is another reason why this show is so delightful. The South African actor, who now resides in Vancouver, plays the part with great charisma and charm.
The musical is excellent. It’s a classic and the actors really shone in the Arts Clubs rendition of it.
The cast performed dance numbers that had everyone in awe, and even a few acrobatic feats were thrown in for good measure—all of which is even more impressive considering the short rehearsal period they were given.
“We started rehearsing just over two weeks ago. It’s been non-stop rehearsal since then,” Daniel-James White, who played the role of the Policeman, told the Other Press.
The cast’s hard work paid off because the audience gave a standing ovation and many patrons stayed afterwards to meet and congratulate the actors on a job well done.
The Stanley is a perfect venue for Mary Poppins with its smaller historic stage that allows the cast to connect with the audience and create a warmth that larger venues cannot match.
The Arts Club presents Mary Poppins at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage until January 5, 2014. Tickets start at $29 and are available for purchase at the box office or at www.artsclub.com
