Mary Poppins a sweet confection: Alex

Everyone’s favorite nanny is in town. Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius is bringing holiday cheer with their production of Mary Poppins, with Chilina Kennedy in the title role.

“She is a very special character and she is practically perfect, and she’s a little other-worldly. I hate to define her too much because I think she can be a cross between all different kinds of things, an angel, magic, you know, but she is equal parts stern and loving and kind.”

An imaginative wonder world unfolds when this witty nanny drops in from the sky with her self-empowerment ways.

“And I remember my connection with it, and it’s funny, adults just respond so well to it. It is really amazing. I think it reminds everybody of their own childhood.”

Chilina Kennedy emerges from Julie Andrews’ shadow, stamping the role with a perky charm.

“With any new interpretation it always takes a little while for people to see what it is and then to accept. I think it’s like that with anything, with Evita, with West Side Story, there’s all these very famous productions and famous people who have originated the role.”

“Of course you are going to see that person in the role. And then you — hopefully if we are good at our jobs we take people on a ride and they go with us.

One of the show’s songs exclaims “It’s a Jolly Holiday with Mary.” This Theatre Aquarius production is just that, and doesn’t need “a spoon full of sugar”; its a sweet confection.

Mary Poppins with her carpet bag and her umbrella has flown all over the world and finally has landed here in Hamilton.

“Best foot forward, spit spot.”

Come and see her at Theatre Aquarius.

Mary Poppins is on stage at Hamilton’s Dofasco Centre for the Arts through December 28.