A practically perfect ‘Mary Poppins’ stage production was the climax of a magical few weeks of rehearsals and teamwork at Union Preparatory School in Graaff-Reinet. The show featured the school’s Grade 1 to 4 girls and boys in a range of music and dance numbers, weaved around an inspired interpretation of the mystical nanny Mary Poppins, who takes up residency with the Banks family in Edwardian 1910 London.

Prior to production, there was a little magic in the air for the casting of the 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗦. In addition to the role of the beloved nanny, played by 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗲, Bert, the dancing chimney sweep, was played by 𝗡𝗼ë𝗹 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗲, Mr Banks by 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘀, Mrs Banks by 𝗟𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗶, Michael by 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁, Jane by 𝗚𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀, ‘The Bird Lady’ by 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗻, ‘Cook’ by 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻, Martha by 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, Jack in the Box by 𝗟𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗼 𝗡𝗴𝗾𝗼𝗯𝗮 and the various nannies by 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀, 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘇, 𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗞𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂, 𝗭𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯 𝗔𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗺 and 𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀.

Haley Krige as “Mary Poppins”

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 – 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝙉𝙞𝙚𝙠𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙣 𝙅𝙖𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙢 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙠 – 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴.

Miss Merisha van der Merwe – 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚 – praised the enthusiasm and dedication of the learners and thanked the staff for their support in creating “a truly magical experience for all involved”.

Narrator Adam Clarke

The school extends a special 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 to Mrs Katie Kotzé for transforming the stage into a supercalifragilistic-setting with her beautiful backdrop, Mrs Corrie Potgieter and Mrs Alet Kingwill for compiling the script, Mr JP Kruger and Mrs Sanette Brink for their assistance with the sound and lights, the UPS hospitality moms for creating a show-stopping entrance; Union High School for the use of their hall and the UHS Media Team members who ensured that every possible technical issue was in ship shape order.

Noel Shakane as Bert the dancing chimney sweep

Mrs Alet Kingwill, who, as usual, 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣’𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧, said: “This year’s production has been a phenomenal team effort. The show was hugely enjoyed by everyone involved on stage and behind the scenes, and also by our audience of families and friends. It was a powerful evocation of our community spirit.”

The adorable Grade 1 rag dolls