Mary Poppins

-From City Sidewalks to Country Roads-

By Jordan Thomas Hall

I traveled to Abingdon, Virginia last Thursday with my girlfriend, Morgan. Our first stop was to see my good friend Karen McClanahan at Foxglove Antiques. We assisted her in rearranging some large paintings in her store and upon leaving she gave Morgan a nice decorative porcelain coat rack. Morgan and I then walked next door to The Peppermill where we both had beef tips in a Marsala wine sauce, mashed potatoes, and asparagus tips for lunch. From there we walked to the iconic Barter Theatre.

The proud history of Barter Theatre begins on June 10, 1933, during the height of the Great Depression. With local farmers unable to sell their produce and livestock, a young enterprising actor named Robert Porterfield came up with an idea. He started a theatre with admission set at 40 cents, or the equivalent in produce. The farmers could clear some of their crops while feeding the actors, and be rewarded with much-needed entertainment. It was a huge success with patrons “bartering” for their admission.

Early performances at The Barter were memorable, as the actors spoke over the sounds of pigs, chickens, and other livestock. If this wasn’t enough, they also had to cover the sounds of the city jail, located underneath the stage! Today, the theatre celebrates their heritage by setting aside one day for patrons to barter produce for admission, donating it to local food banks.

The lavish red interior with Egyptian Art Deco brass light fixtures, circa 1875, came from The Empire Theatre in New York City, being saved there by Porterfield and relocated to Abingdon. Performances have been held inside the 19th Century building since at least 1876. A second stage used for performances, known as Barter II, is housed in a small building dating back to 1829. Since 1946, Barter Theatre has been designated The State Theatre of Virginia.

Barter Theatre boasts an impressive list of famous alumni, many of which got their start there. Barter was once home to Academy-Award winners Gregory Peck  (To Kill a Mockingbird), Ernest Borgnine (Marty, and TV’s McHale’s Navy), Patricia Neal (Hud, Breakfast at Tiffany’s), and Ned Beatty (Network). Other famous alumni include Hume Cronyn (Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt and Lifeboat), Frances Fisher (Titanic), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Jurassic Park), and Larry Linville (M.A.S.H.).

Gregory Peck first made his mark as an actor on the stage at Barter. He performed in five plays in 1940 while also dressing and breaking down the sets, setting up the lights, and driving the scenery truck to evening performances in Bristol and Big Stone Gap. Peck remained steadfast in asserting that his time at Barter Theatre was the most valuable experience he ever had.

Ernest Borgnine stayed at the Barter through the 1950 season. He started out as a scenery painter and stagehand before acting in nearly 20 plays with the company, including Hamlet. Borgnine later recalled, “I never felt as alive as I did when I walked from the wings and the bright lights hit me.” He soon went to Broadway in Harvey and was accepting the Academy Award for Best Actor only five years after leaving Barter.

A crowd comprised mostly of young children with their parents and grandparents began filing in for a matinee performance of Barter’s summer musical, “Mary Poppins” on Thursday afternoon. The story tells of a mysterious, magical nanny who answers to an ad in the paper for the busy Banks family. She begins to show their two children fun, which rubs off with a lasting effect on the parents.

With the absence of a curtain, the small, three-sided Banks home set centre stage piqued the audience’s curiosity. It was topped with a shingled roof design with gables and a chimney. The majority of the scenes took place at the Banks home and the set rotated between the living room, nursery and kitchen throughout the play.

The great challenge, as I saw it, of adapting a stage version of the Disney Mary Poppins was conveying the special effects and fantasy scenery. Happily, it was well done with Mary Poppins pulling large objects out of her bag just like in the film version, and other special effects such as pieces of paper floating up from the fireplace. Some effects may have been simply done behind the scenes, but the unexpectedness made them exceedingly successful. The highlight was a magical moment where Mary Poppins flew into the balcony, captivating the audience.

Naturally, there were improvised scenes to allow for a stage production. The colorful fantasy trip was realized on stage through bright costuming. The inclusion of a Middle Eastern household servant added light comic relief.

A large cast over the course of 23 scenes performed musical numbers such as the classics “Spoonful of Sugar”, “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” as well as the immensely catchy tunes “Jolly Holliday” and “Lets Go Fly a Kite.” “Step in Time” was a precisely choreographed number within a nicely constructed rooftop set. The bright and cheery tunes flowed from beginning to end.

The leads in the play were very good. Nick Koesters as Bert nailed down the tricky English accent. Tricia Matthews as Mary Poppins was just masterful. Anytime you watch Tricia Matthews perform, you’ve treated yourself to a nice day.

“Mary Poppins” will be playing throughout the summer at Barter Theatre. For tickets and more information call (276)-628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com.

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