Desc: The Real Mary Poppins: Directed by Lisa Matthews. With Leeanna Walsman, Zoe Carides, Alice Lily Zahalka, Tessa MacGibbon. Explore the fascinating relationship between author P. L. Travers and her much-loved character, Mary Poppins. This is the story of a complex woman who escaped her upbringing in rural Australia to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, reinventing herself and her past along the way.