I was one of the lucky few to score a seat to The Knowing of Mary Poppins at the Brisbane Powerhouse in 2006 during its short sell-out season. If you didn’t see it, you missed out on a piece of storytelling that inspired tears, spine tingles and other untamed dramatic emotions that arise when theatre hits the mark. Ask most in the know, and they’ll admit you really did miss one of the best bits of theatre in Brisbane – the play won three Matilda awards (Best Actor, Best Director and Outstanding Independent Production) and is off to the Adelaide Fringe Festival this March. The Knowing of Mary Poppins was written by Brisbane playwrights, Marcel Dorney, Leah Mercer, Margi Brown Ash, Stace Callaghan and Carol Schmidt and was produced by the nest, a new independent ensemble who are opening their second play, A Mouthful of Pins, on Wednesday 13 February (preview) at the Powerhouse for another short four-night season. The ensemble will still be riding the high from their recent rehearsals held in Bali for two weeks at the Purnati Arts Centre (supported by Studio 5, Brooklyn) where they worked with international artists Per Brahe, Aole T. Miller and I. Ketut Wirtawan. Written by Leah Mercer and directed by Margi Brown Ash, you mightn’t want to miss this one.
