Mary Poppins (book series)

This article is about the Mary Poppins series of childrens' books. For other meanings, see Mary Poppins (disambiguation).

Mary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P. L. Travers and illustrated by Mary Shepard.

Mary Poppins books by P. L. Travers

• Mary Poppins, published 1934
• Mary Poppins Comes Back, published 1935
• Mary Poppins Opens the Door, published 1943
• Mary Poppins in the Park, published 1952
• Mary Poppins From A to Z, published 1962
• Mary Poppins in the Kitchen, published 1975
• Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane, published 1982
• Mary Poppins and the House Next Door, published 1988

The first book, Mary Poppins, published in 1934, introduced the mysterious anti-heroine, a vain, acerbic magical English nanny blown by a windstorm to Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, London and into the Banks' household to care for the Banks' children; Jane (the eldest), Michael, and twin babies John and Barbara. Encounters with chimney sweeps, pavement artists, shopkeepers, and various adventures follow until Mary Poppins abruptly leaves. Her sudden return in Mary Poppins Comes Back heralds more of the same, as does Mary Poppins Opens the Door. The other books in the sequence, P.L. Travers explains in her introduction to Mary Poppins in the Park, describe incidents which happened during any of these three visits, for 'She cannot forever arrive and depart.'

Some of the themes in the novels may have been influenced by the author's relationship with G. I. Gurdjieff, the Greek Armenian mystic and "teacher of dancing," whom she met in 1938.

Adaptations

1964 film

Main article: Mary Poppins (film)

Mary Poppins was made into a film by Walt Disney Productions in 1964 based on the series of children's books. According to the 40th anniversary DVD release of the film in 2004, Walt Disney first attempted to purchase the film rights to Mary Poppins from P.L. Travers as early as 1938 but was rebuffed because Travers did not believe a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. He finally succeeded in 1961, although Travers demanded and got script approval rights.

The relationship between Travers and Disney is detailed in Mary Poppins She Wrote, a biography of Travers, by Valerie Lawson, published by Aurum Press in the United Kingdom. The biography is the basis for two documentaries on Travers, The Real Mary Poppins and The Shadow of Mary Poppins.

The process of planning the film and composing the songs took about two years. Songs in the film are by the Sherman Brothers. Mary Poppins is played by Julie Andrews. Disney cast Dick Van Dyke in the key supporting role of Bert. The Banks children were played by Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber. Mr and Mrs Banks were played by David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns respectively. The film is rated G by the MPAA.

Musical

Main article: Mary Poppins (musical)

In December 2004, Mary Poppins: The Musical opened at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, after previewing in Bristol. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for nine 2005 Olivier Awards. It won two awards, Best Actress in a Musical, for Laura Michelle Kelly, and Best Theatre Choreography, for Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear.

The musical has original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, book by Julian Fellowes, and a few new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The musical opened on Broadway on November 16, 2006, starring Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins and Gavin Lee as Bert.

Main characters

Mary Poppins

Main article: Mary Poppins (character)

Mary Poppins is the main character of the books and is a magical nanny who sweeps into the Banks home of Cherry Tree Lane and takes charge of the four Banks children.

Mrs. Banks

Mrs. Banks is the wife of George Banks and mother of Jane and Michael. She is more fully developed in the film than in the books, appearing as a valiant and fervent suffragette and feminist. She also appears in the stage musical.

Mr. Banks

George Banks is Mary Poppins' employer. He works at the Bank in the City of London, and lives at 17 Cherry Tree Lane with his wife and their children. In the film he is a cross man who wants order and quiet, largely ignores his children and hates the women's suffrage movement; but later on in the movie his attitude changes.

The Banks' children

Jane, Michael, John and Barbara. The last two are baby twins, who only appear in the books. Annabel is a younger child, born in a later book, who also does not make a movie appearance.

Herbert Alfred

He is Herbert Alfred for Sundays only. Normally, he is Bert. He loves to draw pictures on the sidewalk with chalk, but when it rains and washes his pictures away, he is known as the 'Matchman'. Bert knows about Mary Poppins' wonderful child-rearing ways.

Parodies

• The Fairly OddParents parodied Mary Poppins briefly in episode 53 in "Remy Rides Again" as Timmy's new baby-sitter. She is not named Mary Poppins, however, but is named Susie Califragilistic.

• Terry Pratchett parodied Mary Poppins in his book Hogfather, using the character Susan Sto Helit to show a dark side to the traditional Mary Poppins character.

• The Simpsons parodied Mary Poppins under the name "Shary Bobbins" in the episode "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpialad'ohcious."

• Nanny McPhee is another story much like Mary Poppins, but less cheery and more comical.