Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – The stage adaptation of MRS. DOUBTFIRE sadly misses the mark

• By drediman
• December 12, 2021
• No Comments

Last night at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, I attended a performance of the new musical Mrs. Doubtfire, which is based on the beloved 1993 film of the same name. If you’re unfamiliar with the movie (which was a tour de force vehicle for the late, great Robbin Williams), the musical – which features music and lyrics by brothers Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick and a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell (the same team responsible for 2015’s Something Rotten!) – tells the story of Daniel Hillard, a fun-loving but reckless father who impersonates a woman in order to insinuate his way back into his family’s lives as their nanny.

Long story short, the stage adaptation of Mrs. Doubtfire sadly misses the mark. Much of the show’s book – usually the downfall of many a musical – is actually skillfully crafted, both cleverly updating the story to current times, as well as re-conceiving the structure and dialogue of many of the film’s scenes (so as to smartly distance the material from the looming shadow Mr. Williams’ genius performance). Where the show feels mis-judged is its generic sounding musical numbers, which often feel trite and/or push too hard to please. After a satisfactorily amusing first act which efficiently sets up the plot, the musical unfortunately sputters in its second half, running out of ideas and devolving into juvenile inanity.

Jerry Zaks’ production is workmanlike, as predictably befits the veteran director. The design elements of the show are appealing, particularly the ingenious makeup and prosthetics design for the title character (kudos Tommy Kurzman). The cast ranges from serviceable to excellent. Working backwards, Rob McClure gives perhaps the hardest working performance on Broadway right now; his work as Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire fires on all cylinders, giving this comically and physically gifted actor the golden chance to truly flex his considerable talent. Also inspired are Brad Oscar and J. Harrison Ghee as Daniel’s brother and brother-in-law, respectively. Among the Hillard kids, Analise Scarpaci as the eldest stands out with her striking vocals. On the other end of the spectrum are Jenn Gambatese and Mark Evans, who seem to be phoning it in as the blandly-written Miranda Hillard and Stuart Dunmire.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

MRS. DOUBTFIRE
Broadway, Musical
Stephen Sondheim Theatre
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run