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POSTED: 31 MAY 2009

The Knowing of Mary Poppins

(The Nest | Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney | Until 13 June)

Like many of us of a certain age, I remember reading P.L. Travers’ tales of Mary Poppins as a child. Having now seen The Knowing of Mary Poppins, I am inspired to return to these books of my youth — mainly because I realise it’s quite likely that some of my memories have been coloured by Walt Disney’s movie adaptation.

I hated Walt Disney’s movie adaptation.

Seems I wasn’t alone in this. P.L. Travers herself clashed with Disney over the movie, feeling that the Mary Poppins of her books had been watered down ... with more than a spoonful of sugar mixed in.

Like the original Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers was somewhat of an enigma. As well as penning one of the best-known nanny figures, Travers wrote erotic poetry and critiqued drama. She dabbled in acting and dance. Never married, she adopted a son. Drawn to mythology and spiritualism, Travers continually searched for meaning and sense in life.

Through the archetypes of nymph, mother and crone, The Knowing of Mary Poppins explores P.L. Travers’ extraordinary life — from her birth in Australia to her death at age 96.

As the Crone, Margi Brown-Ash presides over this voyage through Travers’ life. Participant and observer, her magnificent presence and glorious vocal quality is mesmerising. Brown-Ash is also credited as co-writer, and her knowledge is obvious by the apparent effortlessness in which she becomes Travers.

Nymph Stace Callaghan, also a co-writer, leaps from Travers as a child to several other roles (including brilliant turns as Disney and Gurdjieff) with astounding energy, humour and sensitivity.

Molly Knight’s Mother is the perfect complement to these other incarnations. Her initially demure and sedate appearance makes her later comic turns (especially as the desiccated aunt) even more surprising.

A shadowy, mystical set, enhanced by Robert D. Clark’s music, completes what is truly a theatrical ‘experience’ in the best sense of the word.

This dreamlike production is thought-provoking, intelligent and often amusing. It has evolved over the past few years through the collaboration of Brown-Ash, Callaghan, Marcel Dorney, Carol Schmidt and director Leah Mercer. Their passion and commitment to this extraordinary tribute to Travers is evident in their beautifully selected idiom, often-hypnotic use of movement and sound, and balanced performances.

While the style of this production does feel rather remote from the audience at times, it suits the contradictory nature of this fascinating woman — the well-known figure who very few, if any, could claim to truly know.

Strange and beautiful.