"Playing the Game" is the 12th musical number of the stage adaptation of the Mary Poppins musical, replacing the number, "Temper, Temper" after the latter was cut due to reportedly frightening younger audiences.
After Michael damages Jane's doll, Valentine, Mary Poppins brings the children's toys to life to teach them a lesson about caring for their items. When the children refuse to learn, Mary Poppins leaves the Banks residence, taking all their toys with her.
Lyrics[]
Mary Poppins:
Playing the game,
Taking your turn.
Some children lose,
Some children learn.
Treat the toys nicely
and maybe they'll treat you the same
Playing the game.
(spoken) Are you feeling any better, Valentine?
Valentine: Much better, thank you.
Mary Poppins:
Tempers are frayed,
Tempers are lost,
Nobody stops
to think of the cost.
Valentine: (spoken) But they tore my arm, again!
Mary Poppins: (spoken) Oh, dear, children who lose their temper will lose everything else in the end.
Valentine: (sung)
They're not playing the game,
not playing fair.
Not with the doll,
nor with the bear.
Bear and Doll:
Thrown on the floor and neglected
and they were to blame
Playing the game.
Valentine: (spoken) Please, tell them, Mary Poppins!
Mary Poppins: (spoken) Why don't you tell them?
Jane: What's going on?! What's happened to the toys?!
Michael: Make them go small and get back in their boxes!
Mary Poppins: Why? You've hurt them and called them names. Now it's their turn.
(sung)
Summon the toys!
Now is the time!
To tell of your woes,
to tell of their crime!
Toys: Crime! Crime!
Mary Poppins:
Come one, come all!
Enter the fray!
They need to hear
what you have to say!
Toys: (chant) Game! Game! Game! Game! Game!
Valentine:
Those girls and boys (those girls and boys)
Who treat us this way (who treat us this way)
Don't deserve fun (don't deserve fun)
So why should we stay?
They stamp and shout, (they stamp and shout)
create such a fuss!
They need to learn
the value of us!
Mary Poppins: Well?
Michael: You think you know everything!
Mary Poppins: I couldn't agree more. Jane?
Jane: Well, they're our toys and we'll do what we like with them. So there!
Mary Poppins: So there, indeed.
(sung)
Playing the game,
having a ball,
those who won't play
shan't play at all!
Toys:
Will we meet again?
Mary Poppins:
Maybe when they've learned to play... the game.
