MARY POPPINS MERCHANDISE

Did you really want to get that Supercalifragilistic T-shirt after all? Or maybe you want another copy of the official programme, or forgot to pickup a parrot-head umbrella on the way out. Perhaps you haven’t been to the show yet, but want to listen to the soundtrack beforehand. Or you know someone dead-keen on Mary Poppins, and want to get them a birthday present?

You can come into the theatre while a show is playing, but if that’s not possible, then you can now order your merchandise over the Internet!

Just visit the Merchandise page to view the terrific range, from DVDs and soundtracks, to tshirts and caps, and even snowglobes, mugs and umbrellas! You can securely order the full range, and have it delivered to your door, quicker than you can spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

ROB GUEST CONCERT TICKETS ON SALE

The Rob Guest Endowment Concert 2010, presented by ANZ Trustees and ANZ Private, is now on sale for Friends of The Maj!

The second annual concert, hosted by Bert Newton, will be held on Monday 4 October. The night will include some of Australia’s biggest music theatre stars including the casts of Mary Poppins and WICKED, Matt Lee, Lucy Durack, Rhonda Burchmore, Amanda Harrison, Rachael Beck, last year’s winner Danielle Matthews, and more!

They will share the spotlight with a new generation of talented young Australian music theatre performers: six finalists from around Australia competing to become the second winner of the ANZ Trustees Foundation: ANZ Rob Guest Endowment Award.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday 11 August, but becoming a Friend of The Maj will give you early access to tickets, as well as other special offers, news and competitions. Read more about the Rob Guest Endowment Concert, or if you’re a Friend of The Maj, buy tickets online now!

2010 HELPMANN NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

The nominations for the 2010 Helpmann Awards were announced yesterday concurrently at the Sydney Opera House and the Victorian Arts Centre.

HMT are thrilled to hear that Michael Cormick has been nominated for Best Male Actor in a Musical for his role as Sam in MAMMA MIA!, which played at The Maj earlier this year.

In the musical theatre categories, Jersey Boys, The Drowsy Chaperone and Avenue Q have all received several nominations. Last year’s season of Chicago at HMT was in the 2009 Helpmann Award season, in which Sharon Millerchip won the Best Female Actor in a Musical. MAMMA MIA! was in the original Helpmann Award ceremony in 2002, and won the Best Musical award.

The awards will be announced on Monday 6 September at the Sydney Opera House. Her Majesty’s Theatre would like to congratulate all the nominees.

NEW TICKETS SELLING QUICKLY!

Performances up to Sunday 12 December are now available through Ticketek – but hurry, these tickets are selling faster than you can sing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! And unlike Mary’s magical carpet bag, these tickets are extremely limited!

Don’t miss out on this practically perfect piece of musical theatre! Read more about Mary Poppins, view our Mary Poppins hospitality functions, book online now or call the Mary Poppins hotline on 1300 555 593.

FIRST REVIEWS FOR MAGICAL MARY

The reviews have started coming in for Melbourne’s magical musical Mary Poppins, and all agree it’s a hit! Here’s just a taste of what the critics are saying:

• “With a show-stopper in almost every scene, it’s a dynamic and imaginative fusion of acting, song and dance – the last featuring everything from statuesque classical ballet and chimney-sweep tap dancing to more classic Broadway crowd-pleasers. It’s musical theatre at the pinnacle of its craft.” Cameron Woodhead, The Age.
• “When Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins) flies over the audience – one of the great moments in modern musical theatre – you feel you can almost touch her feet. And as she vanishes into the gods, your own heart soars. Magic.” Simon Plant, Herald Sun.
• “Bob Crowley’s set is like a giant pop-up picture book, with houses that open up to doll’s-house interiors and a plethora of clever theatrical illusions, including Poppins’s bottomless carpetbag, kitchens that self-destruct and magically restore themselves, and the chimneyscapes of London.” Alison Croggan, The Australian.
• “The pure delight of Mary Poppins will ignite the love of theatre and story in any child and reminds us grown ups that we should never stop believing in our own dreams. Or, as only the best people say: it’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – and deserves every standing ovation and sold out sign that it’s going to get.” Anne-Marie Peard, AussieTheatre.com.

Come and see the wonderful production that everyone is talking about, and decide for yourself! Tickets are now available up to Sunday 12 December through Ticketek, or by calling the Mary Poppins hotline on 1300 555 593. Read more about Mary Poppins, view our Mary Poppins hospitality functions, or book online now.

MARY POPPINS HAS LANDED!

Mary Poppins, the biggest musical in the country, has arrived at Her Majesty’s Theatre! After months of anticipation, Australian audiences finally have the chance to not only discover what London and New York have been raving about, but also see the classic characters brought to life!

The show has started their preview performances, and already audiences of all ages are being enchanted as the characters they knew and songs they loved are transformed into pure magic, live on stage! There are just a few seats left during the preview period, so if you want to be among the first to see this modern classic, get in quick!

You can still get tickets to Mary Poppins performances up to Sunday 17 October through Ticketek, or by calling the Mary Poppins hotline on 1300 555 593. Come and experience the most magical musical you’ll ever see. Read more about Mary Poppins, view our Mary Poppins hospitality functions, or book online now.

THE MAJ CAFE BAR NOW OPEN

The Maj Cafe Bar has re-opened, and it looks and feels amazing!

The sparkling new space feels much more open, and includes sumptuous new fuchsia leather couches (which are extremely comfortable!), ambient lighting and a spectacular bevelled, black glass wall behind a sweeping curved bar.

The Maj has been the main bar for HMT patrons for years, and we wanted to do something special for you all. The award-winning team at DEA Interiors and our own HMT crew have transformed the space into something amazing. Impressively, the whole construction was completed in just over four weeks, and during a time when we were also bumping-in the extensive Mary Poppins set!

The café trades during the day, with our new chef serving hot breakfasts (including the famous Maj Muffin) and fresh lunches, including daily soup, sandwiches, delicious salads and other winter warmers! We’re still pouring the same great Vittoria Coffee, and as a licensed café and bar, our extensive list of wines, champagnes and beers is available whenever The Maj is open!

Importantly, The Maj still has that special touch of ‘theatrical magic’ that made it so warm and welcoming. So when you’re next in town, make sure you come and check it out.

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

16 June 2010 marks ten years since Mike Walsh OBE purchased Her Majesty’s Theatre.

In 2000, HMT was in severe disrepair, and it seemed like nothing could save it from the wrecking ball. In the ten years since then, several million dollars have been invested in repairing, renovating and rejuvenating this theatrical icon, and has hosted blockbuster musicals, drama, comedy and opera to millions of patrons.

We can now look back on that date as a turning point for The Maj, and can look forward to many more years of the theatre being Melbourne’s home of the world’s greatest musicals.

THE TRUCKS ARE ROLLING IN

When several semi-trailers start rumbling down Little Bourke Street, carrying over 150 tonnes of equipment, you know that a major musical is bumping in to Her Majesty’s Theatre. For two weeks already, the crew has been engrossed in rigging hundreds of lights, flying scenery and sets, and installing speakers throughout the auditorium.

As you could only expect from Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Productions, Mary Poppins is a magical, visually spectacular production, and so it will take up to six weeks to completely fit out the theatre, ready for Mary to fly in!

In addition to the 50+ bump-in crew, front-of-house designers and unknown numbers toiling in scenery workshops in Melbourne and Adelaide, the cast are also working hard! They are now well into their rehearsals and getting a thorough workout before the show’s international director Richard Eyre arrives in Australia to oversee the final rehearsals. At a recent media call, the cast performed the show-stopper Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and left the media spellbound!

The anticipation is certainly growing around the theatre, and we’re so excited this musical smash hit is almost here. Make sure you get your tickets soon, so you too can be part of the anticipation for the next big show in town.

Read more about Mary Poppins, view our Mary Poppins hospitality functions, or book online now.

REVAMP OF THE MAJ CAFE UNDERWAY

A complete revamp of The Maj Cafe and Bar has now begun in earnest! It will reopen on Tuesday 6 July, just in time for the Australian premiere of Mary Poppins!

The Maj has been the main bar for Her Majesty’s Theatre patrons for years, and we wanted to do something special for all our patrons, both those who visit the cafe during the day, and the bar during performances. The sparkling new space includes sumptuous new furniture, atmospheric lighting and a spectacular bevelled, black glass wall behind a sweeping curved bar.

The upgraded bar and open design will give patrons even easier and faster access to the bars during performances, and make it a much more comfortable space during the day – without losing any of that special ‘theatrical magic’ for which The Maj has become renowned! You’ll be able to enjoy great coffee, even better food for breakfast and lunch, and access our extensive and popular wine list!

The creative designers from DEA Interiors, who were recently announced with three finalists in the Retail Design Institute Awards, are undertaking the design and renovation of The Maj. They have created a stunning design, using the Art Deco architecture style as a base and developing a unique and special atmosphere that complements the whole theatre.

Everyone at HMT can’t wait to open this newly-designed space to all friends of The Maj. Be sure to check back here for updates as the work progresses, and join us on 6th July for the relaunch!