Mrs. Doubtfire AT THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH
A fun piece of escapism with just a little bit missing poppets!
In 1993 the wonderful Robin Williams burst onto the silver screen in the comedy movie Mrs Doubtfire. The story takes place in San Francisco where a Dad at risk of losing his children through divorce hearings, disguises himself as an old lady to become his own children’s Nanny without the realisation of his kids or ex-wife. The film shows Robin Williams at his comedic best and is a much-loved family favourite across the world.
This new musical largely follows the same storyline as the movie, with a lot of the favourite moments and quotes kept in the script. It features a brand-new score by Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick who have written the music for the movie Smallfoot and the Broadway hit, Something Rotten! but somehow, it never quite packs the same punch as their previous work. The production has its moments of pure joy and fun, but along the way, it feels like something is missing.
To begin with, the scenery in this production feels very basic and lacks imagination. It does the job perfectly well, but I would have liked to see something a little more exciting than the occasional painted backdrop of San Francisco on a flying gauze, or completely black gauzes used to hide scene changes. The majority of the production takes place in the family home, which looks good and serves its purpose well, but overall, I couldn’t help feeling that the setting was rather simple and bare. Perhaps the reason for the simple set was due to the complexity of Mrs Doubtfire’s costume which is incredibly impressive and makes up for the lack of exciting scenery. Gabriel Vick in this role must sweat by the bucket load transforming from Daniel Hillard to Mrs Doubtfire in quick succession right before the audiences’ eyes. As impressive as the costume is though, I couldn’t help but see Leigh Francis in Bo Selecta each time she entered the stage but I do admit I don’t think there is a better way they could have transformed this character to the stage.
The cast in this production are fantastic and work extremely hard, the problem is that the content of the production is not strong, there was not a memorable song in the score and nothing that made me want to go home and listen to the soundtrack again. The script is at times very funny and pacey, time did seem to pass quickly during the 70 minute first act. However, there were moments in the show where the script bordered on “pantomime”, picking on people in the audience, using local jargon and impressions of current TV characters such as Richard E Grant in the Traitors. For me, this just cheapened the production, the character of Mrs Doubtfire is funny enough without having to ham up the dialogue. The show is also set in America so referring to many British programmes or local dialect immediately transports me out of the story. One of my biggest pet hates happened in Act 2 where Mrs Doubtfire and Stuart “broke character” and laughed on the stage, making it appear they had corpsed on stage when it is in fact quite obviously rehearsed. I would have much preferred them to stick to the original script rather than rely on these kinds of gimmicks, as each occurrence made it increasingly difficult for me to remain invested in the show.
With that being said, there is no denying how talented and hardworking the company of this show are, Kara Lily Hayworth as Miranda Hillard portrays her role with charm, she never once comes across as the villain of the story, despite initiating the divorce from Daniel and actively attempting to keep her children away from their Father, she is a woman going through a tough time and is trying to hold it all together as a mother. Towards the end of Act 2 she sings one of the most tuneful and beautiful songs in the production “As Long as There Is Love” which guides us towards the end of the production. This moment is genuinely heartwarming and moving, showing a tender, human contrast to the comedic chaos that dominates the rest of the show. It’s a touching glimpse of genuine emotion and I only wish there were more moments like this throughout.
Playing the children, Lydia, Christopher and Natalie Hillard was Aaliya Mai, Dexter Pulling and Harly Gill, all three of them were fantastic, they commanded the stage with impressive confidence, showcased brilliant vocal ranges and demonstrated excellent comedic timing. I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing more of these young performers in future productions. Aaliya Mai as Lydia was particularly strong, she has an excellent, powerful belt and performs passionately throughout her emotional scenes.
The standout and funniest performance of the evening came from Ryan Pidgen as Frank Hillard. His character’s tendency to shout when he lies was hysterical and got more exaggerated as the show went on. His vocals were also very impressive filling the auditorium with his powerful belt. The musical number “Make Me a Woman” is a standout moment in Act One, as Frank and his partner begin transforming Daniel into the iconic nanny, the number bursts with high-camp flair, infectious energy and a disco inspired sound, it’s a fun showstopper that will have you dancing in your seat. I would happily watch a musical all about Frank! Each time he entered the stage he had me laughing and grinning from ear to ear.
Leading the production as Mrs Doubtfire is Gabriel Vick, and what a performance! His energy is off the scale, His character effortlessly shifts between a range of celebrity impersonations, the unmistakable Scottish nanny voice, a comedian, a children’s TV presenter and a devoted father. He showcases exceptional comedic acting skills, bringing an array of distinct personalities to life, all while portraying just one character. His impressions of characters such as Homer Simpson, Donald Trump and Yoda were all exceptional, he shows a remarkable display of versatility easily switching between roles. It’s a testament to his talent and undoubtedly makes Gabriel a particularly difficult cast member to cover should he ever be absent. I liked the decision to have Gabriel transition between Daniel and Mrs Doubtfire on stage, it showed the audience just how difficult the role is and how impressive it was that Gabriel was able to switch between these two characters so quickly. It was no surprise that he received such a rapturous applause at the end of the production.
Overall, Mrs Doubtfire is an enjoyable night out, it’s a bit of light-hearted escapism and some very good performances delivered. The musical itself is not the strongest, it lacks a strong script and features songs that are mostly forgettable but if you are looking to see a show that takes you out of the stresses of everyday life and you want a couple of hours of laughter, then rest assured “help is on the way Dear!”
⭐⭐⭐
SEAT REVIEW
Theatre Royal Plymouth: Stalls H9
An excellent view of the stage, very central and is slightly tiered from the rows in front of you. The legroom is ok and there is only one door to access the auditorium so queues can build before or after the show.
