Daniel Hillard, a struggling, out-of-work actor, will do anything for his kids. After losing custody in a messy divorce, he creates the kindly alter ego of Scottish nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire in a desperate attempt to stay in their lives. As his new character takes on a life of its own, Mrs. Doubtfire teaches Daniel more than he bargained for about how to be a father. A hilarious and heartfelt story about holding onto your loved ones against all odds, Mrs. Doubtfire is the musical comedy we need right now — one that proves we’re better together.
“Mrs. Doubtfire” fires on all cylinders, including the two starring roles played by Rob McClure. The Broadway stalwart (who was also on the ground floor of “Something Rotten”) has been with every U.S. iteration of this show — in regional theater, then on Broadway and now on its first national tour. He is profoundly appealing both as the irrepressible impressionist Daniel Hillard and as Hillard’s greatest creation: Euphegenia Doubtfire, the Scottish woman he embodies so that he can spend time with his kids after his hyper enthusiasm and obliviousness to certain grown-up responsibilities screws up his marriage.
The actors are the best part about this show. Rob McClure reprises his Broadway role as Daniel, and plays the character very well. It’s not his fault the show stinks. Some of the best moments in the show (and there are some good moments) are when McClure really lets Daniel’s character run wild, particularly when he’s messing around at his job at the television studio. And it’s not Maggie Lakis’ fault that her lovely voice is lost on the few solos that Miranda gets. The kids (Giselle Gutierrez as Lydia, Axel Bernard Rimmele as Chris and Emerson Mae Chan as Natalie) are great. The brothers (Aaron Kaburik as Frank and Nik Alexander as husband Andre) are hilarious and play off each other’s energies beautifully. But the show falls flat and tries too hard to be something it never was, and the best actors in the world can’t save that. (Neither can watching Oscar Wilde doing disco splits, a particularly surreal moment during the montage where Frank and Andre are trying to figure out what Daniel’s “look” will be as a woman.)
2019 | Regional (US) |
5th Avenue Theatre Pre-Broadway Production Regional (US) |
2022 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2023 | West End |
West End |
2023 | US Tour |
US Tour US Tour |
Videos