Mrs. Doubtfire opened Tuesday at the Ordway in St. Paul, where the touring production runs through Sunday. The stage production is based on the acclaimed 1993 film starring Robin Williams and Sally Field.
Mrs. Doubtfire tells the story of Daniel Hillard, a divorced father of three, who is given limited custody rights although a loving father, because of perceived unreliable behaviors. To see his children regularly, he decides to apply for the newly posted housekeeper position as “Mrs. Doubtfire,” an older experienced Scottish nanny. Of course, mayhem ensues.
I have seen the film many times and have fond memories of Robin Williams as Daniel Hillard. I was concerned that I would be missing Williams’s comedy genius, but my concerns were quickly put aside when Craig Allen Smith stepped on stage. His comedic timing, excellent character impersonations and slapstick humor proved he is up to the challenge of portraying Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire.
The prosthetics, body padding, wig and wardrobe are well-designed by Catherine Zuber (costuming), Victora Tinsman (hair and wig), and Craig Forrest Thomas (makeup); they allow the transformations to happen in front of the audience, which adds to the believability of the storyline.
Mrs. Doubtfire, the musical, premiered in Seattle in 2019. (The original director was Jerry Zaks; U.S. tour director is Steve Edlund.) After the COVID-19 interruption, it opened on Broadway in December 2021 and closed after just 83 regular performances. The play was more successful in London, and is now in its second North American tour.
I feel the problem might be that the transition of the film to musical is not seamless, and none of Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick’s songs are particularly memorable. I enjoyed the parts taken right out of the movie; for example, the dance scene with the vacuum cleaner and the quick persona switch including the cream pie in the face that’s required when an observer makes an unannounced visit to Daniel’s apartment.
The musical added twenty songs to the show. Some of them, like “Make Me a Woman” and “Easy Peasy,” were entertaining and felt like fun musical theater productions. But some, like “The Shape of Things To Come” and “Big Fat No” — which both involved scenes at a fashion show in a gym — felt like they were just adding fluff to lengthen the show.
I attended the opening night with my granddaughter, who has not seen the movie. She found the first act disjointed and liked the second act better. She thought that the complex storylines were confusing, particularly those involving the business success of Miranda (Melissa Campbell) and the developing personal relationship with business partner Stuart Dunmire (Collin Salvatore).
Having seen the movie, it was easier for me to follow these developments. We both found the sound okay, even though some of the unfamiliar song lyrics moving the story forward were hard to understand. I missed some of the punchlines, but the audience reactions told me that this was not the case for most in the theater.
My granddaughter and I both agreed that the ensemble did yeoman work both in covering more than 15 listed cast roles, and with their work on the musical numbers. They were energetic and engaged, although we both thought that some of Lorin Latarro’s choreography felt below their talents.
The scenic design (by David Korins) required to transition between the Hillards’ home and Daniel’s apartment felt clunky. It required dropping the curtain each time, and we were able to hear the set movements at times during the switch. Some of this is understandable because of the constraints of designing a set that needs to be assembled and disassembled regularly for a tour show. It just felt like it disrupted the flow of the show too often.
All in all, we both enjoyed the show. If you enjoyed the movie, you will certainly find the stage musical familiar; if not, you will be utterly surprised by the turns the story takes. In either case, be prepared for a good laugh and some much-needed escape.
Photos courtesy the Ordway
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