[Midoria]

For those who have seen this show, what did you think of the "Temper Temper" number?

I remember reading that it was "controversial" when they were bringing the show to New York. Something about it being too dark and scary for the American audiences. I read someone proposed that the number be cut totally, but in the end the producers called for it to be "reworked" the song for the Broadway production. But I'm not exactly sure what they changed.

When Valentine first popped out a few smaller kids looked a little scared, but they calmed down once they started to sing. Many of the kids I could see were actually leaning forward, totally wide-eyed and totally into it (I made the effort to look around and see some reactions since this number allegedly scared kids). But at the end, the applause was immediate, long, and loud. When Ashley threw open the door on the last part of the song, the people behind me actually whooped and whistled.

What's the deal? Did they overestimate the American audience, or was my audience just more cool?

[Monsieur D'Arque]

I just find it funny to have a totally random Sweeney Todd pastiche in the middle of a Disney show.

[Midoria]

Hehe, yeah I see your point.

Although even though it's a Disney play, they are clearly implementing the dark parts from the book (which I love). I believe MP really did lock them in their room with angry toys in one of the books. I also believe people tend to forget/don't know that "Mary Poppins" is a book series. They can't let go of Julie Andrews because that was their first introduction to the character of 'Mary Poppins'.

I think I'm going to call that the "Elphaba Effect" from now on.

Yup, I'm gonna do that....



The Elphaba Effect:

The ignorance or passive denial that a fictional characters portrayed in a movie or stage production has been clearly defined in book form by their creator prior to being transposed to the stage or screen.

Example: Fans of Idina Menzel often suffer from the Elphaba Effect.*


*Idina Fans, please do not attack me. I love her too. But the real (read: book) Elphaba was rude, sarcastic, anti-establishment, and a sensualist. She wasn't sweet by any means. But to be fair, the script doesn't allow for the "true" Elphaba to ever really come across, because it's a family oriented show.

[aaand SCENE]

It's not like the toys are attacking the children. They are just trying to teach them a lesson. It's an interesting spin and a rather wonderful number if you ask me. It's no darker than Frolo trying to burn Esmerelda at the steak or Scar getting eaten alive by hyenas if we're comparing it to previous disney stories.

[wicked_boy]

I like Temper Temper, very dark and teaches kids a valuable lesson who see the show.

[bean_C4U]

It shows the audience a side to Mary Poppins that was cut from the film

[Mazz]

I heard that originally they got shot by firing squad - rather than the 'rar, you're very naughty, wicked children, you have been tried and found guilty and will now receive the harshest punishment we can dole out which consists of us going away now!' which is a bit odd, when you think about it.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

It's a bizarre ending, but I thought that the reason they suddenly disappear right before the punishment is because Mary is done teaching them- their fear of what this punishment can be leads to the nightmare suddenly ending abruptly, like all nightmares do in real life.

[TR_Wolf]

As great a number as it was, it seems a bit harsh a punishment for fighting over a doll whilst in a bad mood....

[Mazz]

A justifiable bad mood, at that. It seems contrived enough to me to be a workaround - the original context is gone, so this one has been twisted round to fit it, but not quite properly.

[Mumsytype]

I saw the show last night, and yes, this number IS rather odd. I dimly remember reading the first book of the series, many years ago, but this didn't strike any bells.

I think Monsieur D'Arque is right - the children are supposed to be terrified at the possible punishment, and THAT is their lesson - but it didn't really come over that clearly in performance.

However, it was very interesting to have scenes - like the statues in the park, and the Conversation Shop - which were very much NOT in the Disney film, and which did add to the bizarre world of Mary Poppins.

Did anyone else pick up on the very strong emphasis given to the plot-line of Mr. Banks having been appallingly treated as a child, and how during the course of the show he slowly recalls, mourns, and comes to terms with that abuse, emerging as a Proper Parent at the end? That's certainly not something I remember from the book, which I remember as a wonderful series of crazy, magical adventures very much focussing on Mary Poppins, Jane and Michael, with Bert and the parents very much in the background.

But then again, maybe I was very young and just not interested in the altruistic theme of a damaged, fractured family/man being repaired and healed.

[ponine_singer]

I don't think that they should cut it--it is an awesome number. But a little girl sitting next to me nearly screamed and JUMPED (Literally JUMPED) into her mother's lap. I think she may have been crying. So it is scary for little kids, but then, a lot of things are.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Miss Andrew the abusive nanny is a new character, created to justify the family trouble sub-plot.

[wicked_boy]

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Puts her in a birdcage and sends her to Hell, more or less- as evidenced by the brimstone and fire that shoots from the ground as she disappears through the floor.

And as always, I'm on my way to getting the actual Mary Poppins opening night script, so once I get it, I'll see if I can clear up this whole Temper, Temper question once and for all. Maybe the script spells it out more plainly.

[StageFright]

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Well, is yours an Adobe Acrobat file? If so, post it, or at least the "Temper, Temper" scene. If not, I'll post that scene when I scan the script, so that we can figure out exactly waht's missing once and for all.

[StageFright]

Not on file, unfortunately. If you tell me what you want to know I can post the relevant bit.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Well, what exactly is supposed to be happening during that Temper, Temper scene? Halfway through, when it comes time for "the sentence," nothing seems to happen except that they're about to find out their sentence, then the scene ends.

Is there some business in the script that was cut or doesn't come through clearly in the show?

[StageFright]

The children come back from the talking shop in high spirits. Unbeknown to them their father has been suspended from the bank for refusing a loan to Von Hussler. Mr Banks scolds the children for being too noisy, and then implores " As for you Mary Poppins! You are here to teach the children manners and just look at them! They're a pair of little savages! If I had my way, you'd be out of the house by-"

Mary takes the children to the nursery and is joined by Winifred who suggests that they should remain there for the evening. Mary reminds Mrs Banks that tonight is her evening out, as agreed.
The children lose their temper as they see this as a great injustice. They criticise their mother and father and Mary tells them they must stay in their room with no milk and no biscuit and that if they can't be good they might as well be sorry.
Jane retorts "Pooh! I don't care. So there" to which Mary replies "Temper, temper."

Now alone the children start to argue and a tuf of war with Jane's rag doll, Valentine, ensues.
This is where the song begins and the toys come alive (presumably due to a spell cast by Mary Poppins to teach the children a lesson)

By the end of the song the children are cowering and Mary Poppins returns. Jane runs to Mary Poppins and hugs her, but Michael storms off saying that he is going to tell Mother "I'm going to tell her just what you did to us and we'll see if you're so practically perfect then!"
Jane stays and tells Mary not to worry as he won't tell Mother anything.

I think that the scene is meant to show Mary teaching the children a lesson for losing their tempers and that they should be more considerate to their parents. I don't believe there's anything deeper than that.

Hope that helps!

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Well, I got the script- all it says is "the TOY SOLDIERS advance menacingly on Jane and Michael, then suddenly a great wind blows all of the toys away."

[Dvarg]

[Mazz]

They used to get shot. It was too traumatising for the audience.

[freakycallbackgirl]

[wicked_boy]

[Mazz]

So says a friend of mine who saw the show in Bristol.

They then woke up, as if the whole thing was a nightmare.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Well, the Broadway script was no help. I'm getting the West End opening night script to see if it does in fact include the children's execution.

[Mazz]

I think they might have cut it by then.

[SunriseSunset]

So I'm a little embarassed to admit this, but I'm 15 and I was a little bit scared of this scene. Then again I hate clowns as it is. I did like that it was a part in the show that was a little darker, though.

[lilmissbroadway]

[mr.musical9]

do you mean jane and micheal get shot?

[Mazz]

Not now, but they used to.

I think they are supposed to have made peace with their toys afterwards... in contrast to Jane throwing Valentine down in a temper in the first Nursery scene, they now treat their belongings with some respect.

[raised in a barn]