State Theater too big for ‘Poppins’

By Milan Paurich

CLEVELAND — If you somehow manage to score a seat (preferably center right) in the first eight rows of Playhouse Square’s State Theater, and are the type of individual who favors spectacle over substance, you’re likely to have a “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” good time at “Mary Poppins.”

For anyone else, I’d suggest renting the 1964 Disney musical this elephantine live-action reimagining was based on.

As magnificent as the State Theater is, it’s simply too colossal and cavernous a space for a satisfying theatrical experience. Unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to have a really great seat, maybe even one in which you can actually make out the facial expressions of the performers. But my experience at “Poppins” — sitting in the nose-bleed section — was so profoundly alienating, I might as well have been watching the show from the bleachers at Progressive Field clear across town.

There was absolutely no connection, emotional or otherwise, with any of the actors/singers/dancers on stage. Resultingly, the cast — all of whom seemed to be quite skillful at their jobs — left no discernible impression whatsoever. And rather than humming the half-wonderful, half-ordinary score, I left the State buzzing over the spectacular Bob Crowley sets and costumes (some of Crowley’s Pointilist-inspired backdrops resemble Edward Gorey illustrations; others are like Matisse paintings come to life) and Tom Shane Bussey’s technical wizardry that nearly convinced me a thirtysomething nanny can indeed fly with the aid of an extra-special umbrella. (Extra points for giving the poor schmoes in the balcony a close-up of Ms. Poppins at the end of Act Two.)

A collaboration between British uber-producer Cameron Mackintosh (“Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats”) and the Walt Disney Company, “Mary Poppins” redefines the term “blockbuster entertainment.” Evidently no expense was spared in transferring the long-running Broadway smash to Cleveland by the roadshow producers. But a little more simplicity and subtlety — not to mention a venue more intimate and human-scaled than the mammoth State — would have been nice.

Like such previous Disney films recycled into budget-busting theatrical behemoths such as “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin,” the show’s adapters (Oscar-winning book writer Julian Fellowes, composer and lyricist George Stiles and Anthony Drewe) have erred on the side of excess padding. The relatively linear movie plot — loosely based on P.L. Travers’ wonderful kid-lit novels — has been given added curlicues that serve little purpose other than to extend an already overlong evening. Also, none of Stiles and Drewe’s additions to the wonderful Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman song score are particularly memorable, or remotely distinctive, in their own right.

Reprising their roles of Mary and chimney sweep Bert from the 2006 New York production, Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee (the lone holdover from the original 2004 London “Poppins” ensemble) seem slightly over-rehearsed, giving their performances an almost robotic quality at times. Of course, since their physical presence on stage barely registered from my seat, it may have just been an optical illusion. Karl Kenzler and Megan Osterhaus do nice work in the (relatively) thankless roles of Poppins employers George and Winifred Banks, and the Banks kids are ably impersonated by a pair of perfectly adequate juvenile performers. (Since the roles of young Michael and Jane are played by alternating sets of children — and because no one bothered identifying which tykes were which at my performance — I’m not sure who deserves to be credited.)

Co-director Matthew Bourne’s choreography is as graceful, athletic and precision-tooled as you’d expect from the esteemed British choreographer (best known in the states for his controversial 1999 production of “Swan Lake,”) and Lee’s rollicking “Step in Time” number from Act Two with its 360 turn around the stage brought down the house.

Although I haven’t seen the Disney film since grade school, I can still remember the names of the child actors who played Michael and Jane Banks without referring to imdb.com (Matthew Garber and Karen Dotrice in case you’re wondering). It’s doubtful I’ll remember much of anything about this newfangled “Mary Poppins” by summer’s end, let alone in 40 years.

X“Mary Poppins” runs through Aug. 9 at the State Theater in Cleveland’s Playhouse Square. For tickets, call (216) 241-6000.