Wednesday 11th November 2026 at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Over 30 years after the release of the beloved 1993 movie classic, this show brings a fresh take on Mrs Doubtfire, gently modernising, gleefully musicalising but also consistently cherishing what went before. The story of a marriage worn thin, divorce, three children lost somewhere in the middle and a father’s unorthodox plot to maintain his connection to his kids is still just as relevant and accessible as it ever was.
The production, directed by Jerry Zaks, beautifully taps into the nostalgia attached to the characters we see but also modernises; book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell borrows directly from the film – particularly the most iconic lines and exchanges, but there’s a good dose of fresh material too. Revisions are often updated details, with technology vs granny Doubtfire becoming an entertaining gag, Miranda now working with Stu, the hunky new guy (James Darch) on a fitness clothing line, the dinosaurs at the production studio becoming a techy loop machine and those problematic 90’s lines are nowhere to be seen… The most winning of all revisions though, aside from Daniel’s many new impressions and up-to-date zingers, is the re-vamp of the exchange between Mrs Sellner (Danielle Durojaiye) and Daniel which now features Daniel’s brother (Ryan Pidgen) and brother-in-law (Cruz-Troy Hunter), bringing some excellent fresh hilarity and running gags to proceedings.
Gabriel Vick is superb as Daniel Hillard – AKA Mrs Doubtfire. There are times when it’s clear Vick is leaning into Robin Williams’ best moments, like a warm nostalgic hug and a generous tribute, but he also very much makes this role his own. His take on Daniel is exhuberant and lovable but also nails the more emotional, sensitive moments – and his impressions are plentiful and top notch to boot. Kara Lily Hayworth’s Miranda steers much further from Sally Field’s original take on the exhausted mother of three kids (plus one additional man-child). Hayworth’s take is gentler, opting for softness more than grit and there’s a good sense of pathos for all involved in her ballads.
The Hillard children are brilliantly cast and bring real charm to the story, with Aaliya Mai leading the way as the eldest, Lydia, with a rebellious streak providing both comedy and great scope for giving the youngsters at the heart of this divorce dynamic a strong voice. Charlie Banks and Mila Isaacs bring a sweet innocence to their performances as Christopher and Natalie, landing lines framed around naivety and the wholesomeness of youth.
Of course, transforming Daniel into Mrs Doubtfire is a big job on screen, so live and on stage for all to see, it’s a particularly impressive feat to see how Vick shifts between the two with a mask, wig and bodysuit that have been designed for both smooth, speedy transitions and a pretty darn good aesthetic under the circumstances (Make-up designer: Craig Forrest-Thomas; wig designer: Sam Cox; Catherine Zuber costume design). Don’t get me wrong, it’s takes a minute to adjust given the scale and initial strangeness of it, but those transitions are incredibly impressive and Vick’s performance is soon convincing us along with the wee kiddos and Miranda.
And the story does lend itself to musical theatre; what could be more theatrical than an outlandish dame figure navigating a life of disguise while emotionally spiralling underneath the wig and lippy? Music and lyrics from Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick (Musical arrangements and orchestration: Ethan Popp) are a bit of a mixed bag, with some nice ballads and lively, fun-fuelled numbers, but with some lyrics landing better than others and some excess in the second act. They do bring both plot and emotional arcs to the fore nonetheless, adding brand new sequences to embellish famous scenes like the kitchen catastrophe. Highlights include “What the Hell”, “Big Fat No” and “Make Me a Woman”, with the latter being a real theatrical highlight with a parade of historic female muses for the creation of our beloved Euphegenia. Lorin Latarro’s choreography really shines in this sequence, and later brings real joy with a brilliant chorus line of Doubtfires during a trippy dream sequence.
In its musicalised form, the comedy of Mrs Doubtfire is heightened with eccentric musical numbers and the pathos is underscored nicely with ballads; it keeps to the heart of the original that we hold so dear and modernises without marring – definitely one to see.
Mrs Doubtfire is at Leeds Grand Theatre until November 29th 2026 – more information and tickets can be found here.
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