poppins musical gets flying start the stage adaptation of children s film mary poppins has had its opening night in london s west end sir cameron mackintosh s lavish production which has cost 9m to bring to the stage was given a 10minute standing ovation lead actress laura michelle kelly soared over the heads of the audience holding the nanny s trademark umbrella technical hitches had prevented mary poppins flight into the auditorium during preview performances a number of celebrities turned out for the musical s premiere including actress barbara windsor comic graham norton and sir richard attenborough the show s director richard eyre issued a warning earlier in the week that the show was unsuitable for children under seven while underthrees are barred mary poppins was originally created by author pamela travers who is said to have cried when she saw disney s 1964 film starring julie andrews travers had intended the story to be a lot darker than the perennial family favourite theatre impresario sir cameron mackintosh has said he hopes the musical is a blend of the sweetnatured film and the original book