I’m going to be honest – when I saw that Mrs. Doubtfire the Musical was coming to The Hippodrome, there was not a lot of excitement building in my head. I had seen the reviews from its Broadway run and was dreading the idea of another musical adaptation of a classic film that would inevitably fall short, especially one that starred the iconic and late Robin Williams. Due to this, I was absolutely delighted to find myself hysterically laughing for almost the full length of the show.
Mrs. Doubtfire is aptly referred to as a “musical comedy,” and while the show is absolutely hilarious for people of all ages, the music itself was nothing to write home about. I admired the dichotomy between the animated ensemble numbers and the sincere ballads, but the execution just wasn’t there for me as the ballads felt a bit cheesy.
The cast certainly exuded musical talent, with Maggie Lakis’ (Miranda Hillard) heartfelt rendition
of “Let Go,” which seemed to truly resonate with the audience, and Rob McClure’s (Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire) use of a Looper when he takes over the Mr. Jolly show. But the best voice of the night came from Giselle Gutierrez who played Lydia Hillard, Daniel and Miranda’s eldest daughter. She exuded an energy similar to that of Lydia from Beetlejuice and had a powerful voice that helped narrate the children’s perspective through a very messy (and truthfully, weird) divorce.
I was also very impressed by the amount of McClure’s quick changes that happened on the stage, giving the audience a glimpse into how he brings Doubtfire to life in real time. This, in tandem with McClure’s spot on impersonations – a focal point of the show – proved his star power and had the audience infatuated.
Mrs. Doubtfire is undoubtedly fun for all ages, though the show could have excelled as a straight play. From Doubtfire’s first interaction with the family, you too will let go and finally “be rockin’ now!”
Mrs. Doubtfire on Tour runs at the Hippodrome in Baltimore through February 4th. For more
information, visit https://baltimore.broadway.com/shows/mrs-doubtfire/
Final Grade: B
About The Author
