Mary Poppins West End cast to include Petula Clark and Joseph Millson

Further casting has been announced for the upcoming revival of Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Singer and actress Petula Clark will be returning to the stage for the first time in twenty years to play the Bird Woman in the show, who sings the iconic song "Feed the Birds".

Clark starred as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music in the West End in 1981 and Candida by George Bernard Shaw in 1983. Other theatre productions include Sunset Boulevard, Blood Brothers and Someone Like You.

Also cast is Joseph Millson, who is to play Mr Banks. Millson's stage credits include Apologia at Trafalgar Studios in 2017, Mr Foote's Other Leg at Hampstead Theatre in 2015 and Macbeth at Shakespeare's Globe. He has starrs in Holby City, EastEnders and Doctors on TV.

The two join the already announced Charlie Stemp as Burt and Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins. The show opens in previews on 23 October, with opening night on 13 November and is initially booking until March 2020.

The stage production of Mary Poppins originally opened in 2004 and won two Olivier Awards and an Evening Standard Award. The Tony Award-winning Broadway run was on for over six years.

The musical has original music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman and other songs in the piece include "Jolly Holiday", "Step in Time" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".

New songs and additional music and lyrics are by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The book is by Julian Fellowes and this production has orchestrations by William David Brohn with dance and vocal arrangements by George Stiles.

It has new sound design by Paul Gatehouse and new lighting by Hugh Vanstone and Natasha Katz. Co-choreography is by Stephen Mear, the reimagined set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley. Co-direction and choreography is by Matthew Bourne and direction by Richard Eyre.