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Having a rough week? Been a minute since you’ve been to the theater? Help is on the way, dearie! Mrs. Doubtfire is now at the Pantages in Hollywood!
Based on the 1993 film, Mrs. Doubtfire is a hilarious and touching story of a father willing to do almost anything to see his children after a tumultuous divorce. Daniel Hillard is a voice actor, as well as a doting and loving father, but his priorities are not ideal in the eyes of his wife, Miranda. She files for divorce, and Daniel’s lack of job prospects and a furnished home results in the court only granting him occasional visitation with their three children: Lydia, Christopher, and Natalie.
With the help of his brother Frank and Frank’s partner Andre Mayhem, Daniel transforms himself into the nanny of Miranda’s dreams—Mrs. Doubtfire. While in character, Daniel gets closer to his family than ever before. He stumbles upon an amazing job opportunity that will give him everything he needs to obtain joint custody of his children legally, but how can he balance being both Daniel and Mrs. Doubtfire?
The show begins with “That’s Daniel”, a fun introductory number that not only showcases the characters, but the talent of Rob McClure (Daniel Hillard) who reprising his role from the original Broadway cast. “I Want to Be There” is heartbreaking, as Daniel sings about his children. “Make Me a Woman” is hilarious, a much-appreciated juxtaposition in the story so far.
“Easy Peasy” is absolutely hilarious, almost like a fever dream, the song and dance represent the process of searching the internet for easy dinner recipes and finding videos—very relatable in the most over-the-top way. The second act is somehow even more fun and heart wrenching than the first. “The Shape of Things to Come” received roaring laughs from the audience. “Playing With Fire” and “He Lied to Me” perfectly illustrate how precariously complicated Daniel’s lies have become.
McClure’s performances truly make the show, as his impressions and physical comedy are solidly funny. The topical jokes and jabs felt appropriate, and not over the top, as they sometimes can in musicals. Giselle Gutierrez (Lydia Hillard) and Sam Bird (Christopher Hillard) were certainly standouts in “What the Hell”, Gutierrez is a fantastic singer, and I look forward to seeing where her career spans after this tour. “Just Pretend” was a hauntingly beautiful performance.
Sam Bird is a great singer, but also had amazing comedic timing, seeming to inherit a familial trait of yelling when he’s lying, his performances made me laugh out loud a few times. Aaron Kaburick (Frank Dillard) and Nik Alexander (Andre Mayhem) were a fantastic comedic duo, and Alexander’s stage presence was always a treat.
David Korins’ set design was fairly simple and traditional, using various practical interiors against painted backdrops. Between the set design and lighting, it felt almost like watching the taping of a sitcom. It was perfect for the musical and was reminiscent of the 1993 film. Korins has an exceptional track record with Broadway shows that includes Hamilton, Beetlejuice, and Dear Evan Hansen—this show is no exception to nailing the vibe with the set.
I saw the movie, as most millennials have…so I was hesitant to see this one. It’s hard to go up against such a dynamic Robin Williams performance—but I was impressed by this adaptation. Despite knowing how it ended, I still found myself with tears in my eyes for probably the last 5 minutes of the show. It’s truly a warm and fuzzy show with exceptional music.
If you are considering seeing Mrs. Doubtfire, do it. It was a great show and might be one of my favorite shows I’ve seen at Pantages, well…ever. It has all the most famous one-liners from the film, and McClure truly honors the character the way you hope he would.
Mrs. Doubtfire is performing now until June 30, 2024 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.
