Mary Poppins is an extra large spoonful of sugary delight at the Prince Edward Theatre, Leicester Square.

There are no dancing penguins or fairground horses in this production - instead producer and co-creator Cameron Mackintosh, together with Disney and director Richard Eyre, have come up with a well balanced formula in taking us back to the books of PL Travers.

The focus, as usual, is on a disfunctional family and a magical nanny in Mary Poppins, who is given the task of taming young tearaways Jane and Michael.

She shows that looking after children can be fun, especially when she clicks her fingers to make things appear from her bottomless carpet bag.

Jane and Michael will try anything to get their father's attention and in this production we see why he is the Victorian disciplinarian. Enter Miss Andrews, his old nanny (aka The Holy Terror) with her bottle of brimstone and treacle.

The sets are constantly moving to show inside number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, and we are transported up onto the rooftops for the wonderful dance routine Step In Time performed by tap-dancing chimney sweeps.

Perhaps this lengthy show should have been cut back slightly, but it kept the audience entralled and entertained.

Scarlett Strallen was an excellent - and charming - Mary Poppins. This is her second time in the role after leaving to complete a run with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Gavin Creel played a rather understated Bert and, although he sung and danced very well, I felt that this part really needed a bigger name to enhance it.

Aden Gillett and Rebecca Thornhill were convincing as Mr. and Mrs. Banks. Aden showed us the father's vulnerability as his love for his children finally came to the surface after years of supression.

The children on the night were played by Daniel Barber and Olivia Griffiths, both of whom had bags of charisma and talent.

Louise Gold was the brilliantly wicked Nanny Andrews. What a shame this character was missed out in the film as she booms her commands out to the terrified children, but eventually comes to a very satisfying end.

Children of all ages should love this production and go home singing the many songs, especially A Spoonful of Sugar and Supercalifragilis...Oh, you know the one.