Sir Cameron Mackintosh has described his latest production of Mary Poppins in Melbourne as “a dream come true”.
The Melbourne production is the latest Mary Poppins production Sir Cameron has put on in the world since his first opening night in London's West End in 2004."The response has been fantastic, Sir Cameron said. "This is a dream come true and I hope Pamela, wherever she is somewhere above the planet, will look down and say "It'll do"".
The Pamela he is referring to is Pamela Travers, the Australian born author of Mary Poppins. Sir Cameron Mackintosh acquired the rights to create the theatre production of Mary Poppins from Pamela in 1993. She died in 1996 before the first production ever debuted.
Pamela Travers was born in Maryborough, Queensland. She wrote her first Mary Poppins novel in 1934.
Walt Disney adapted the book into a musical in 1964. Pamela was an advisor to the movie but in the end did not like what Disney made of it because she felt it diluted aspects of the characters personality.
The music for the Disney movie was written by the Sherman Brothers. Richard Sherman, now 82-years old, attended the Melbourne premiere.
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