Mary Poppins - Prince Edward Theatre

I wonder if there’ll be a cast change before this closes? I think the cast who’ve been there since 2019 will have done about a year altogether (pre-covid and “post-covid” runs combined) next month. I thought Zizi and Charlie were wonderful both times I saw the show but I’m not sure if I’d go back again soon unless we had some fresh blood as leads.

They appear to be pricing themselves out of the market, as this Saturday night the upper circle is full (not closed as the odd single is still for sale) whilst there is tons of availability in the stalls and circle. Would they really not rather drop the ridiculous prices to fill the theatre and make it back in ‘candy floss in a tub’ sales? Does it sell on tkts? Will it be full by tomorrow night?

I've followed Emma's career closely since day one (a bit part in "The Parole Officer", a Steve Coogan movie), which led her to getting Chitty in which she was lovely. Then "Playing for Reward" at the fringe, Love Story, Zorro etc etc. She is always great.

How she hasn't played Mary Poppins is astonishing, and is probably the only casting that might make me consider the possibility of thinking about seeing it again.

I think that comment was once made on a previous discussion, and this was tweeted soon afterwards...

Wasn't she famously up for the role originally in 2004 after she did Chitty? It was between Emma, Ruthie Henshall, and Laura Michelle Kelly, no? 

Maybe I was thinking of something else - I think there was talk at one point of her doing Maria for two shows a week alongside Connie Fisher in 2006 at the Palladium but she eventually backed out.

Indeed - one of the ever increasing examples of Andrew Lloyd Webber treating actors as disposable commodities - to be used or cast off according to his latest whim.

Emma Williams was initially verbally offered Maria in The Sound of Music. In the background, the BBC were interested in a pitch by co-executive producer Gigi Eligoloff for an X-Factor style talent show format, with the winner playing Maria. They picked up the option with ALW also co-producing and appearing, and hired a panel of judges to cast the winner, with ALW guiding things on screen and off.

Due to the success of the show and the breakout appeal of the eventual winner Connie Fisher, Emma Williams was instead offered the role of alternate/standby - to give the "newcomer" a rest (Monday night and midweek matinee). She accepted this initially.

However, after phenomenal box office in the pre-booking period, RUG were accused of dishonesty by not publicly stating that Connie Fisher (the draw) would not be appearing at certain performances. Emma Williams was unceremoniously sacked (https://bit.ly/3BYCnja) so that Connie Fisher could do all eight shows a week. RUG/ALW offered a settlement, which I understand was accepted by both parties, and Emma was gone without public comment.

Subsequently, performing eight shows a week for a nine month contract, with minimum holiday, Connie Fisher had repeated absence and problems with her throat/voice, which have all but ended her professional career (https://bit.ly/3sp1us9).

Allegations of pre-recorded vocals (which were true by the way despite denials - bit.ly/3pkv5ko) in some scenes/numbers such as "A Lonely Goatherd" hurt the show's credibility hugely at the time - Connie Fisher ended up with an alternate anyway after the initial box office hype died and her voice was shot.

Just to add my two penn'orth.

From what I remember Emma was offered the role for four performances a week ie it would be shared equally - on the assumption that the winner of the TV show would be an untrained newcomer who and would probably leave after a few months (the gossip in the west end at the time was that Emma would be top billed with the programme winner being billed as - Special Guest Appearance at certain performances to allow some wiggle room should Emma be required to do more than four shows a week - though that may have been an urban myth)

However as inthenose says the TV show became popular and ticket buyers only wanted to see the people from the television, added to this was that Connie Fisher was actually a Mountview musical theatre graduate, so Andrew decided to make a 6/2 split. He positioned this as protecting Fisher's voice (rather unfortunately, given what was to come, saying "we certainly do not want her ending up like Julie Andrews who strained her voice when young and who can no longer sing") and in some interviews even said that Emma Williams would play two performances and understudy Fisher. Connie Fisher rather called ALW's bluff by saying, in her post-win interviews, that she had trained for three years and had the passion and stamina to perform eight shows a week.

There was only about a week between the TV programme ending and rehearsals starting - by which time Emma had gone - hopefully clutching a very large cheque. It was all so badly handled - with, as usual, ALW speaking first and thinking later (if at all).

The drama didn't end there - Simon Shepherd who was cast as Captain Von Trapp was sacked, to his surprise, after two previews - to be replaced by Alex Hanson who was apparently hired before Shepherd was fired!

And never forget the Hollyoaks/Sound of Music crossover with Summer Strallen playing Summer Shaw, the unknown actress who won the part of Maria at the Palladium. Oh what ALW will do for publicity.

But indeed - back to Mary Poppins.

Were both leads understudied tonight, given their appearance on apparently live Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ?

Indeed. Lucie-Mae Sumner was on for Mary and Jason Kajdi was on for Bert.