Helloooo: A Mrs. Doubtfire Review

Rob McClure in the title role of “Mrs. Doubtfire.” He played the role on Broadway and is also starring in the national tour coming to The Bushnell this week. Photo by Joan Marcus .

Nostalgia doesn’t always translate into an appreciation when the subject of that fond memory is revisited. Oftentimes, nostalgia is more applicable to who we were at the time and other surrounding circumstances rather than the subject of the nostalgia itself. That’s what I expected walking into The Bushnell Theater’s stunning Mortensen Hall to see Mrs. Doubtfire the musical, directed by Jerry Zaks. After about the first fifteen minutes of the show, my concerns evaporated and I was caught up, alongside the rest of the theatergoers, in non-stop bellowing laughter and a question mark concerning my longstanding theory of nostalgia. If done well, old stories can take on new life in new forms and serve new generations.

Robin Williams is just about the only thing I really remembered about the film Mrs. Doubtfire going in. His are enormous shoes to fill, but once he gets started, Rob McClure is anywhere but in Williams’ shadow. McClure’s portrayal of Daniel Hillard, the fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants guy who is too all-fun-and-games to see that his family is falling apart at the seams, leaves nothing to be desired. From the vocal impressions of some of entertainment’s most distinct voices to his delicate interactions with the real stars of the show, the children —McClure’s Hillard serves as a beautiful and hilarious homage to not just the late Robin Williams but to the place in our hearts that Mrs. Doubtfire has filled for the last 30 years. 

Lydia Hillard, played by Giselle Gutierrez; Christopher Hillard, played by Axel Bernard Rimmele; and Natalie Hillard, played by Kennedy Pitney deliver the combination of sweet innocence, unintentional hilarity, and wit that we all love to see. Gutierrez’s Lydia takes on the weight of the family’s struggles to shield her siblings from the fallout. Braverman’s Christopher is sweet and somewhat oblivious— until oblivion runs out. Adorable little Pitney’s portrayal of Natalie gives us the right about of cheeky while nailing the nuances of the role. Miranda Hillard, played by Maggie Lakis is just the right combination of mom and boss lady with a stunning wardrobe courtesy of costume designer Catherine Huber.

Uncle Frank Hillard and his partner Andre Mayem, played by Aaron Kaburick and Nik Alexander, are hilarious support for Daniel Hillard’s shenanigans. Leo Robert’s gym bro portrayal of Miranda’s love interest, Stuart, adds another fun layer of drama for Mrs. Doubtfire to maneuver.

The combination of David Korins’ vivid and rotating scenic design and Philip S. Rosenberg’s lighting design in this grand production offers great visual support for each scene. Sound design by Brian Ronan and Craig Cassidy emphasizes everything from each musical number to every line of dialogue. Musical numbers, coordinated by John Miller, supervised by Matthew Smedal, and directed by Mark Binns cover a spectrum of vibes and emotions. Make Me a Woman’s hilarious lyrics and visual rollout of Eleanor Roosevelt, Julia Childs, Margaret Thatcher, Donna Summers, Marylin Monroe, and the late Princess Diana, among others of history’s favorite women, leaves audiences in an uproar of laughter. Paired with the snappy songs are Zane Mark’s dance arrangements, including my favorite— the tap dance number.  

The things we love change and the way we love them inevitably change too— whether it’s our family structures or the lead of a production we hold dear. However, there’s always room to let in the new.

You can catch Mrs. Doubtfire the musical at The Bushnell Theatre through October 8th.