Theater Review – September 18, 2024

TURNING “MRS. DOUBTFIRE” INTO A MUSICAL DISAPPOINTS AT ASU GAMMAGE

“Mrs. Doubtfire”
Broadway Across America – Arizona, ASU Gammage
Tempe, AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

The latest Broadway show to hit the Valley isn’t quite as awful as the dreadful season opener, “Girl from the North Country,” but “Mrs. Doubtfire” is certainly no prize musical.  Based on the much-loved film, the musical premiered in 2019 in Seattle and made its Broadway debut in 2021. The Broadway run was impacted by Broadway’s Covid pandemic closure but because of the well-known title, it was decided to tour it.  The original Broadway star, Rob McClure, is also the tour’s star where he plays ineffective pop Daniel Hillard and transforms into the cloyingly sashaying Scottish nanny Mrs. Doubtfire.

The big unanswered question is why the brilliantly comic film that starred the late Robin Williams was ever turned into such a mediocre musical.  Brothers Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick penned an undistinguished score and a copycat book that Karey Kirkpatrick wrote with John O’Farrell fails to enhance the film’s comic gems.  The stage version is riddled with lots of cliches about female impersonators.

The musical dulls the plot into an overly long-winded show. The film doubled one over with laughter but the musical plods along without any inventive new comedy and makes one yearn for the far funnier and more wildly madcap film.

The dreadful ASU Gammage acoustics make the lyrics a cloud of noises never comprehended.  Especially bad was the Hillard’s youngest daughter, Natalie, played opening night by Sunny Lauren Holder, who never uttered a word that could be understood.

McClure’s performance is disappointing because he works so hard at selling his disguise as the errant but lovable caretaker.  We see him as a blah father who can’t win custody of his three kids from his challenging wife.  As a divorcee, she hopes to ban the children from him until he decides to transform himself into a giddy leader so he can be around them.

McClure works diligently but never commands the musical like Williams did in the film.  It is easy to see why McClure was nominated for a host of awards but failed to win any. The kids are disappointingly portrayed and Catherine Brunell’s lackluster Miranda, Daniel’s brash wife, is also shrilly sung.

Jerry Zaks staging and Lorin Latarro’s choreography add nothing original or unique to the musical but zesty supporting players add a touch of spunk. Simple sets capture the Hillard’s bland surroundings.

“Mrs. Doubtfire” disappoints tremendously.  Better to just watch the far superior film.  It’s a heavy-handed and challenging bore with nothing to recommend it. “Mrs. Doubtfire” continues through Sunday, September 22.  To order tickets, call the ASU Gammage box office at 480-965-3434 or order tickets online at www.asugammage.com.

Grade: D