If you are looking for a proper festive night out in Cardiff, MARY POPPINS at Wales Millennium Centre is the one that feels like Christmas has genuinely switched on.
We were in the Donald Gordon Theatre last night to review the show for South Wales Life, and the first thing to say is this: the scale of it suits the building perfectly. Wales Millennium Centre can take a big production without swallowing it, and Mary Poppins arrives with the confidence of a show that knows exactly what it is.
This is the record breaking, much loved musical that conquered the West End and has been collecting applause around the UK ever since, and you can feel that pedigree in the detail. Nothing looks rushed, nothing feels thrown on the stage and hoped for the best. It is polished, warm, and full of that old fashioned theatrical craft that makes you grin before the interval has even appeared.
It helps, of course, that audiences come in with a lot of affection for Mary and her world. This stage version draws from both the Walt Disney film and the original P. L. Travers stories that created the character in the first place, so you get the familiar comfort of the big moments people quote at home, alongside a slightly richer sense of Cherry Tree Lane and the rules of Mary’s odd little universe. The tone is smart about it all. It never winks too hard, but it does allow itself plenty of fun, especially when the show leans into the idea that grown ups can be as stubborn and messy as the children.
STEFANIE JONES leads the piece as Mary Poppins, and she is a delight. She has that calm, clipped authority that makes Mary so funny, because the humour is often in how little she seems to care about anyone’s expectations. Stefanie plays her with crisp control, but not coldness. There is warmth there when it matters, and she knows how to deliver a line so it lands cleanly in the back rows without turning into pantomime. It is a performance that feels properly shaped, right down to the physicality. A glance, a pause, a tiny adjustment of posture can be enough to set up a laugh.
JACK CHAMBERS, as Bert, brings the show’s sunshine. His energy never drops, and he has that rare ability to lead the audience through a story without feeling like he is doing the heavy lifting. Jack makes Bert a welcoming presence, the kind of character who can step out, chat to you, then slide back into the action as if it is the easiest thing in the world. Vocally, he is strong, and his confidence in the big ensemble numbers lifts everyone around him. Their rapport also matters, because Mary Poppins needs that balance of sparkle and steadiness, and between them they keep the whole thing buoyant.
You can watch our interview with Jack HERE.
The supporting cast do a lot of work here too, because the heart of the story is still a family learning how to talk to each other again. The Banks household sections have a genuine emotional pull, which is important in a show that could easily become all tricks and no feeling. The children, in particular, are terrific. They are natural, clear, and engaged with the story, not just the choreography. That makes the family scenes land, so the magic feels like it is changing something real, not simply decorating the stage.
We do want to give a mention to MICHAEL D. XAVIER who plays George Banks. He captures all the elements of David Tomlinson who starred in the original movie. But with a feel and slight look of John Cleese and Basil Fawlty, his comedic skills are second to none.
There’s also a lovely treat in the shape of LYN PAUL as the Bird Woman. Those of us who remember the days of the New Seekers, and that hugely famous song ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing‘ were more than thrilled to se her step into this role.
And yes, the stagecraft is exactly the word people will use afterwards. Without giving anything away, the set is genuinely magical and often magnificent, and the Donald Gordon stage is perfectly suited to a show of this size. There are sequences where you can almost hear the audience deciding, collectively, that they are going to stop trying to work out how it is done and just enjoy it. The production uses theatrical illusion in the best way, not as a gimmick, but as storytelling. It makes Cardiff feel like a festive destination in its own right, because for a couple of hours you honestly believe that a kind of Christmas magic has landed in the city and decided to put on a show.
Musically, it’s a treat. The orchestra are magnificent. The songs you want are there, and they hit with the right mix of nostalgia and momentum. The choreography keeps things moving, especially in the larger numbers, which are staged with the kind of precision that looks effortless but clearly is not. It is the sort of production where you notice the group work, the way people cross the stage in patterns that look natural while still guiding the eye exactly where it should go. That is craft, and it is satisfying to watch.
You also get that rare family show quality where different ages are laughing at different things. Children will go for the obvious comedy and the visual wonder, while adults get the sharper observations about work, pride, and the strange ways we convince ourselves we are doing the right thing. It is a generous show. It wants you to have a good time.
If Cardiff needed a big festive anchor this season, Mary Poppins fits the role beautifully. It is funny, beautifully made, and full of moments that leave you smiling on the walk back out into Cardiff Bay.
Just a little heads-up if you’re taking younger children, there’s a couple of darker scenes which may make them cuddle up nice and close for a moment. Nothing to worry about, just be aware they are coming.
MARY POPPINS is at Wales Millennium Centre through to 10th January 2026. If you’d like to get tickets go HERE.
