It's A Very Jolly Holiday

As the magic of Mary Poppins returns with an all-singing and dancing film spectacular, we chat to some of the stars and take a nostalgic look back at the original film…

- Gabrielle Donnelly

A gift to the world. That’s what Meryl Streep calls the eagerly anticipated Christmas blockbuster, Mary Poppins Returns. In times of great uncertainty Meryl, who plays Mary’s eccentric cousin Topsy, is delighted to be part of a film full of optimism and fun. “We all need more magic in our lives,” says Meryl.

And what better way than being part of what promises to be the jolliest film of the year? The lavish film musical Mary Poppins Returns is set 25 years on from the original film classic, in the Thirties. The children, Michael and Jane Banks, are grown up and Mary returns to help them rediscover the joy of being children. The cast reads like a Who’s Who of the film world and includes Ben Whishaw as the grown-up Michael Banks, Julie Walters as his housekeeper Ellen, Hamilton creator and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda as Bert and, of course, Meryl as Topsy Turvy Poppins. Then there’s Angela Lansbury as the Balloon Lady, Colin Firth as bank president William Weatherall Wilkins and even Dick Van Dyke puts in a return appearance as the ancient bank manager Mr Dawes Junior. Despite being 92, he jumps onto a desk and tap dances for three minutes.

And finally, of course, actress Emily Blunt takes the title role made so famous by Julie Andrews.