Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Good book pity it's mostly about the Broadway prod., 19 Jan 2008
Handsome book and worth having but the focus is on the Broadway show. I guess that, because of the closure (after only 3 years) of the London production, the tome originally intended was never produced. It is a pity because while the London cast looks beliavable in their roles, this Broadway cast looks like American actors in wigs and costumes (except for Gavin Lee, of course). The lady playing Poppins is unmistakably American (no Edwardian nanny could have that strong neck!!!). In a book made mostly of images such a problem is paramount. Laura Michelle Kelly, the original Poppins, gets hardly any mention with only 2 pictures in a book that contains hundreds. The other HUGELY talented ladies who played the role in London and who DID look like the real thing (Scarlett Strallen particularly looked like she'd come out of a Mary Sheperd drawing) get no mention at all! Kelly got great reviews and won the best actress Olivier award for Poppins. How come she is so "egregiously overlooked" in the book while her not so successful American counterpart (reviewers were not convinced) is splashed all over the tome, in the attempt to push the idea that she is the definitive Poppins? Another disappointment is that there is no mention of the charity gala night in which Julie Andrews visited the show in London and sung onstage with the cast.
Well, the London production closed and Disney is now promoting the Broadway one but by doing so they are consigning to the posters this book that only tells the latter (Broadway) part of the story. I have not seen the Broadway production but judging by the images on offer here it looks rather tacky! What a pity not to have any record of the BEAUTIFUL-looking London production!
Still the book's worth having for all of you Poppins fans out there: All the info about Travers and Disney etc. is there and the sketches of the stage designs are lovely.
|
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Fantastic Book!, 15 Jan 2008
I have been eagerly awaiting the publication of this tome since the initial release date of 5th June 2005. 30 months later, this morning, I finally held the book in my hands - a remarkably better looking item than the one advertised on Amazon. Now entitled, "Mary Poppins - Anything Can Happen If You Let It", the book consists of 3 seperate volumes, contained within a beautiful folder, embossed with stunning gold lettering, which frames a picture of the pivotal nanny - in this case, Ashley Brown's interpretation of the character. Inside the folder, there is, the Mary Poppins "Design Folio", a collection of Bob Crowley's (the Set Designer for the Musical) designs for the production. Centrally, there is the main "making of" book, which chronicles the entire journey of Mary Poppins, from the books, through to the stage production preparing for its international tour. Finally, there is the "Mary Poppins on Broadway" book, which is, simply, the published equivalent of a souvenir brochure, although with much better, more detailed pictures, from the wonderful Joan Marcus. My only issues with the product, is that the section on the creation of the Stage Production seems pitifully short, with much of it focused on the Broadway production, as opposed to the original London show. The Broadway production is also made out to be far superior to the London show, an objective which I must disagree with, having seen both productions.
Despite this, the book is truly a delight, and will take pride of place on my coffee table for many years to come.
|
|
|
|
(1)
£12.99
(10)
£17.50
![Show Business - The Road To Broadway [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VIE67dWnL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
(2 customer reviews)
(
