I'll change the text to white so as to not spoil it for others, but here are Marys more sinister characteristics;

During one scene with the replacement nanny, she poisons her, before sending her to hell and blowing her up. There is also a part where (I feel this is set up by Mary) the children argue with their parents and are plauged with their bedroom toys climbing out from everywhere to attack them. This scene in particular is very creepy and unnerving.

And hey, first post on here, I signed up to answer your question, but may as well hang around and give my views and things too now!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thanks and welcome, WestEndChild

Broadway seems to have appalling accent work these days. Especially when doing cast recordings. The I downloaded "Please Hello" from remake of Pacific Overtures and I don't think I've ever heard such terrible accent work. I wasn't too impressed with the Italian on The Light in the Piazza. We can only hope they don't butcher Mary Poppins, but the way things are these days, I somehow suspect they're going to be even worse than Dick van Dyke.

I actually saw it two summers ago in London with the entire original cast and I thought it was amazing. It was way better than the movie, but I wouldn't exactly say that the show was a lot "darker",

Mary didn't actually poison the other nanny, she had a "singing battle" in a way with her and ended up singing her into a bird cage and blowing her up, it had nothing to do with poison.

A lot of the songs are different, but it is definitely the best show that I have seen on the West End. I'm excited to go see it in New York this coming summer, just to see if it matches up to the London version.

The Broadway version has gotten pretty mixed reviews here, which is disappointing after how wonderful I heard the London version is!

I still refuse to see it. they cut all the best songs. and redistributed a few others.

I just saw the show in New York last night and I thought it was amazing. Ashley Brown was awsome, and not a bit wooden. I hated the movie of mary poppins, but I surpisingly loved the show! I guess it's just because I hate Julie Andrews....Anyway, Gavin Lee was so comfortable up there and he really stole the show. He was my favorite actor that night. The little boy who played Michael was adorable and I found myself laughing whenever he said anything! The colors were astounding, and the dances were crazy! Everything was just so perfect, down to their bows!

I have to be completely honest, I saw it in October in New York and it utterly disappointed me. It was actually the first time i've seen Mary Poppins (i know, apparently my parents are isane for not letting me watch it, although they claim i really did watch it as a child??) BUT to me it felt like when a great cast, musically wise, as well as visually, get's placed in a poorly written show. I was really impressed though with a few scene's particularly "Step In Time" and the sets were really fabulous, but overall i wouldn't reccomend it to anyone.

I saw the stage version last year in london and I thought it was great. the set was really impressive the way the roof would come down to represent the jane and michels room.

I really liked the dancing stautes in the "a jolly hoiday"

i think that it was nice how they did a lot from the books seemed more origonal than just a disney version on stage. I really liked the temper bit quite a scary bit but it was very clever the way they come out of small boxes I found this really effective.

if it gose to broadway i hope they keep the british element in it and dont amricaniz it

It's already on Broadway. It's been there for a while now.

I saw the Broadway producion in January....

I had purchased the London Cast Recording before and I feel that LMK did a superior job over Ashley Brown. Ashely's voice is amazing, but I feel that it is TOO much for the role of Mary Poppins.

Also, I didn't like how they changed a lot of the music arrangements for the Broadway production. I don't know how the London show is now, but some of the songs have changed DRASTICALLY in comparison.

"Jolly Holiday" had some parts cut (such as Neilus' {spelling?} verses and some of the children's parts)

"Spoonfull of Sugar" cut the "A robin feathering his nest......" verse. Also cut the butlers "and hense.... they find.... their task is not a crime."

"Anything Can Happen" had different people singing parts of it. Bert and Mary sang the verse about "Turn it on it's head ....." insted of the butler and the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious lady.

There were a few other cuts...

A friend of mine saw the production in London and we talked about the show and she seemed to feel that the Broadway production went more towards the movie than the books while the London show went more towards the books. I can see where that comes from as not many people in America have read the books (such a travesty in my opionion. the books are so much fun) but i would have preferred to have seen the London Cast and production.

Gavin Lee was AMAZING and I loved his little gimmic during "step in time"

Rebecca Luker was a superior Mrs. Banks, but I did not love Mr. Banks. He was rather bland in my opinion.

The cut songs from the movie were not missed in my opinion. I LOVED "Feed The Birds" it was visually and vocally beautiful.

The scenes at the bank were boring, but the sets were gorgeous!

One more thing (i know i have written a lot):
I thought "Anything Can Happen" should be the finale. To me it LOOKED like a finale. With the giant umbrella and such (which was just too much) but then the show continued and seemed to drag. While watching I was like "what a fun finale. A big spectacle number with random sets and costumes that don't really fit the rest of the show" I was expecting the bows right after, but then there were scenes and dialog which brought you down and made you wonder why that previous song was even there!

I enjoyed the show a lot, but would not go to see it twice. There are a great deal of effects in the show and you won't hate it. I just was expecting the London show and got an Americanized version which can hold it's own, but the London show is far superior!

That is my blurb. Sorry to ramble on so much.

~Thom