El Beh makes for a assured and charismatic title character in “Mary Poppins” at SF Playhouse.

Everybody knows it’s a jolly holiday with Mary Poppins. The stage version at San Francisco Playhouse over the holidays may be somewhat less jolly than most people remember, however.

With a book by “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes, the 2004 musical that’s made the rounds among Bay Area theater companies for the last few years is a curious combination of the beloved 1964 Disney film and the books by P.L. Travers. Several of the adventures from the movie are cut and replaced with incidents and dialogue from the first three Mary Poppins books.

These additions include immortal candy shop proprietor Mrs. Corry (cheerie Sophia LaPaglia), a dancing statue (Dominic Dagdagan), inept servant Robertson Ay (Rod Voltaire Edora, reprising his role from Woodminster Summer Musicals’ production) and father George Banks’ fearsome childhood nanny, played with gleeful villainy by Katrina Lauren McGraw.

The movie’s emphasis on the transformation of George is not just kept but expanded in the musical, although all the parents’ songs have been replaced with new, considerably less catchy ones.

Ryan Drummond is a stern and stodgy Mr. Banks, which really makes you feel for his neglected, sweet but stubborn children Jane (sixth-grader Ruth Keith, alternating with 13-year-old Grace Hutton) and Michael (eighth-grader David Rukin, sharing the role with 11-year-old Billy Hutton). Abby Haug is stoic and restrained as the children’s disappointed mother, Winifred Banks. (Haug and Drummond played a similar couple in SF Playhouse’s “Sunday in the Park with George” this summer.)

The stage musical cuts about a third of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman’s marvelous songs from the movie, keeping arguably the most memorable numbers, though the others are certainly missed. They’re replaced by generally blander songs by composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe (the team behind nearly a dozen musicals such as “Honk!” and “Betty Blue Eyes”).

The unseen orchestra directed by Katie Coleman does a fine job with numbers new and old, and even the new ditties have some highlights, such as Mary’s “Practically Perfect” and “Brimstone and Treacle,” the sadistic Miss Andrew’s answer to “A Spoonful of Sugar.”

Chimney sweep and jack-of-all-trades Bert functions as an omnipresent observer, providing musical narration to the tune of an oddly gloomy version of “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” Wiley Naman Strasser in the SF Playhouse production is the first Bert I’ve seen make this melancholy take on Bert really work, playing the role with empathic intensity, like someone who sees the world’s pain and longs to make things better.

The terrific cast in principal roles is what really makes company co-founder and producing director Susi Damilano’s staging shine. El Beh plays Mary Poppins with commanding and unflappable assurance and a slightly sardonic air that’s terribly charismatic.

The role is deliberately less conventionally feminine than usual in this production, so Beh’s Mary sings in a somewhat lower register and lifts Bert in dances as often as Bert lifts her. Most of this works perfectly well, although the curious outfit of trousers, bowtie and fancy jacket that costume designer Abra Berman gives the usually immaculate Mary in the second act jmakes it look like she’s going to a prom.

Backed by projections of cloudy skies by Theodore J.H. Hulsker, Nina Ball’s inventive rotating set folds out from a rooftop forest of chimneys to reveal various locations around the house and neighborhood. It also leaves narrow room for Kimberly Richards’ choreography, which ends up rather lackluster, though sometimes amusingly modern.

Playing just as Disney is about to release its own movie sequel (“Mary Poppins Returns” in late December), the musical offers a curiously somber return to Cherry Tree Lane, but ultimately a heartwarming one.

Contact Sam Hurwitt at shurwitt@gmail.com, and follow him at Twitter.com/shurwitt.

‘MARY POPPINS’

By Julian Fellowes, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, Richard B. Sherman and Roger B. Sherman, based on the novels by P.L. Travers and the Disney film, presented by San Francisco Playhouse

Through: Jan. 12

Where: San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post St., San Francisco

Running time: Two hours and 50 minutes, one intermission

Tickets: $35-$125; 415-677-9596, www.sfplayhouse.org

The post Barely somber ‘Mary Poppins’ settles in at SF Playhouse appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Everyone knows it’s a fun vacation with Mary Poppins. However, the stage version at the San Francisco Playhouse over the holidays may be a little less fun than most people remember.

With a book by Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, the 2004 musical that has made the rounds of Bay Area theater companies in recent years is an odd combination of the popular 1964 Disney film and the Books by PL Travers. Some of the adventures from the film are cut and replaced with incidents and dialogues from Mary Poppins’ first three books.

These additions include the immortal candy merchant Mrs. Corry (cheerful Sophia LaPaglia), a dancing statue (Dominic Dagdagan), the incompetent servant Robertson Ay (Rod Voltaire Edora repeating his role from the production of Woodminster Summer Musicals), and terrifying childhood by father George Banks nanny, played with cheerful villainy by Katrina Lauren McGraw.

The film’s emphasis on George’s transformation is not only retained in the musical, but expanded, although all of the parents’ songs have been replaced with new, much less catchy ones.

Ryan Drummond is a strict and cumbersome Mr. Banks, which really makes you feel for his neglected, cute, but tenacious children Jane (sixth grader Ruth Keith, who takes turns with 13 year old Grace Hutton) and Michael (eighth grader David Rukin) and shares them Role with 11 year old Billy Hutton). Abby Haug is stoic and reserved like the disappointed mother of the children, Winifred Banks. (Haug and Drummond played a similar couple at SF Playhouse’s “Sunday in the Park with George” this summer.)

The stage musical cuts about a third of the wonderful Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman songs from the film, while retaining arguably the most memorable numbers, though the others are sure to be missed. They are replaced by generally boring songs by composer George Stiles and lyricist Anthony Drewe (the team behind nearly a dozen musicals like “Honk!” And “Betty Blue Eyes”).

The invisible orchestra, directed by Katie Coleman, does a good job with numbers new and old, and even the new ditties have some highlights like Mary’s “Practically Perfect” and “Brimstone and Treacle,” Miss Andrew’s sadistic response to “A Spoonful of sugar. “

Chimney sweep and all-rounder Bert acts as an omnipresent observer and provides musical narratives for a strangely dark version of “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. Wiley Naman Strasser in the SF Playhouse production is the first Bert I’ve seen how this melancholy take on Bert really works. He plays the role with empathic intensity, like someone who sees the pain of the world and longs to do things better.

It is the great cast of the leading roles that really makes the staging of co-founder and production manager Susi Damilano shine. El Beh plays Mary Poppins with an imperious and unwavering security and a slightly sardonic atmosphere that is terribly charismatic.

The role in this production is deliberately less conventionally female than usual, so Beh’s Mary sings in a slightly lower register and raises Bert in dances as often as Bert raises it. Most of it works perfectly, although the weird pants, bow tie, and fancy jacket costume designer Abra Berman gives to the normally flawless Mary in act two makes it look like she’s going to a prom.

The inventive rotating set by Nina Ball, supported by Theodore JH Hulsker, Cloudy Sky Projections, can be folded out of a chimney forest on the roof and shows different places around the house and the neighborhood. It also leaves tight space for Kimberly Richards’ choreography, which is rather lackluster, if at times amusingly modern.

The musical is set just as Disney is about to release its own film sequence (“Mary Poppins Returns” in late December) and offers a strangely dark return to Cherry Tree Lane, but ultimately a heartwarming one.

Contact Sam Hurwitt at shurwitt@gmail.com and follow him at Twitter.com/shurwitt.

‘MARY POPPINS’

By Julian Fellowes, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, Richard B. Sherman, and Roger B. Sherman, based on the novels by PL Travers and the Disney film presented by the San Francisco Playhouse

By: January 12th

Where: San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post St., San Francisco

Running time: Two hours and 50 minutes, a break

Tickets: $ 35- $ 125; 415-677-9596, www.sfplayhouse.org

The post Barely somber ‘Mary Poppins’ settles in at SF Playhouse appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.