Go to content

Mrs Doubtfire Review - Greasepaint and Stage Lights - Theatre Radio Show

Skip menu

Broadcasting on  Countywide Radio - Mondays at 4pmCinque Ports Radio - Mondays 7pmAcacia Radio - Mondays 9pmRadio Shields - Mondays at 11pmCirencester - Tuesdays at 2pmHWD Radio - Tuesdays at 6pmForest FM - Tuesdays at 7pmUK Radio Network - Tuesdays 9pmUnite Radio - Tuesdays at 9pmSouth Devon Sound - Wednesdays at 11pmCabin FM - Wednesdays at 6pmJHR Radio - Thursdays at 12pmDrystone Radio - Thursday at 12pmIslands FM - Thursdays at 8pmRed Road FM - Thursdays at 9pmRadio Hillingdon - Thursday at 9pmSounds of Broadway - Various USA timesSouth Devon Sounds - Fridays at 2pmConnect Radio - Saturdays at 2pmDover Radio - Saturdays at 2pmElastic FM - Sundays 2pmRoyston Radio - Saturdays at 2pmCrystal Radio - Saturday at 5pmCabin Fm - Saturdays at 5pmImage Radio - Saturdays 6pmKLR24 - Saturdays 8pmCoast and County - Sundays at 9amWhaley Radio - Sundays at 10amArrowesound - Sundays at 10amBarts Radio - Sundays at 11amWest Norfolk Radio - Sundays 12 NoonKGH Radio - Sundays at 2pmHereford Radio - Sundays 2pmWest Surrey Radio - Sundays 2pmSouth Wales One - Sundays at 4pmHumberwave Radio - Sundays 5pmIslands FM - Sundays at 6pmCanalside FM - Sundays at 6pmBeverley FM - Sundays at 6pm3T FM - Sundays at 6pmRibble Radio - Sundays at 6pmMeridian FM - Sundays at 7pmDJC Radio - Sundays 7pmStorm FM - Sundays at 7PML35 Online Radio - Sundays at 8pmGuernsey Radio - Sundays at 9pmThe Beat of South Texas - Various TimesPhantom Radio - Sundays - West Wiltshire Radio - TBCConquest Radio - Sundays at 9amShire Extra - TBCRadio Loughton - TBCSwindon HBO - Sundays at 2pm

Access menu ->
Skip menu

Broadcasting on  Radio Hillingdon - Thursday at 9pmCountywide Radio - Mondays at 4pmCoast & County - 97.4 - Mondays at 11pmCarillon Wellbeing Radio - Tuesdays at 5pmCirencester HBO - Tuesdays at 7pmForest FM - 92.3 - Tuesdays at 7pmUK Radio Network - Tuesday at 9pmCabin FM 96.4FM - Wednesdays at 6pmHastings Radio - Wednesdays at 9pmSouth Devon Sound - Wednesdays at 11pmJHR Radio - Thursdays at 12pmDrystone Radio 103.5 - Thursday at 12pmRed Road FM - 102.4 - Thursdays at 9pmSounds of Broadway - Various USA timesIlluminate Radio - Saturday at 4pmCrystal Radio - 107.4 - Saturday at 5pmConquest Radio - Sundays at 9amCoast and County - Sundays at 9amWhaley Radio - Sundays at 10amSouth Wales One - Sundays at 4pmBarts HBO - Sundays at 11amKGH HBO - Sundays at 2pmHereford HOB - Sundays 2pmStorm FM - Sundays at 7PMWest Hull FM - 106.9 - Sundays 5pmIslands FM - 107.9 - Sundays at 6pmCanalside FM - Sundays at 6pmMeridian FM - 107 - Sundays at 7pmRural Radio UK - Sundays 7pmBasingstoke Radio - Sundays at 8pmGuernsey Radio - Sundays at 9pmLCR FM - 103.6 - Sundays at 11pmSouth Devon Sound - Fridays at 1pmHWD Radio - Tuesdays at 6pmKGH - Thursdays at 7pmLondon Wide Radio - Various TimesIslands FM - Thursdays at 8pmSouth Devon Sound - Friday 2pmJHR Radio - Fridays at 4pm

Mrs Doubtfire Review

Mrs Doubtfire
Shaftesbury Theatre
(Review Complete)

The date was 18th June 2023,

It was a comic relief performance and we all assembled at the Shaftesbury theatre in London for a special performance of
Mrs Doubtfire.

Synopsis
Based on the 1993 film starring Robin Williams, which if you thought about it and tried to explain to a friend, they would find it a little weird. Here goes.

A married couple with three children, their marriage fails and the Father is denied access to see his children as he is deemed a little wacky and not a responsible parent. Move on a bit. Mum feels the Children need a Nanny to guide them and so advertises for one. So Dad dresses up like an elderly lady with a Scottish accent and applies for the position and gets the job! Now hold. Stop. You are thinking too much.

Review
This variation produced by brothers Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick and writer/satirist John O’Farrell brings the characters to life and they do this very well for this stage production. The songs are not memorable, but the voice of the lead actor presents lots of fun farce and very silly comedy. If you have young kids then they will love it.

As we take our seats the stage reflects a San Francisco skyline. Miranda Hillard (Laura Tebbutt) wants a divorce from her annoying irresponsible, happy go lucky voice-actor husband Daniel (Gabriel Vick). He feels that their life is great as Miranda looks after the home and children, whilst trying to work on her own career. Daniel gets to spend lots of silly time with his three kids. But a judge in court rules this is not acceptable and he has to grow up and take the responsibility as a Father and as an Adult. Daniel fights hard not to lose access to his three children, so when Miranda advertises for a nanny he hacks into her email makes a few changes about the position and invents the perfect candidate in a ‘no-nonsense’ Scottish granny. So Mrs Doubtfire is born!

With a tartan skirt, knitted jumper and thick latex face and body suit Mrs Doubtfire enters the children’s life. From the opening scene to the end of the show Gabriel, proves himself a star of the show, with topical references at the start to the “Hello Poppits” at the end of the production, Gabriel works so hard, with quick changes upon quick changes brings a brilliant physical and verbal performance. impressions of King Charles and Homer Simpson, and Boris Johnson, amongst others. We as the audience were hooked.
Directed by Jerry Zaks who allows the audience to see the vast number of quick changes, I was very impressed watching Gabriel transform so instantly. Latex has its limitations, but this does not show as technically Gabriel works so hard to make it look effortless.

You can never get enough of Mrs Doubtfire and Miranda’s love interest certainly would like to see the back of her as she is totally negative about the feelings he has for his ex-wife and children. So he tries to destroy any hope of them getting on. When I say you can never get enough of Mrs Doubtfire, in the second half there are lots and lots of them, in a weird dance routine. Did it add anymore to the plot, not sure, but it was rib tickling funny! There are a few other Surprises and that’s what they will stay. You’ll find these out when you see the show.

This West End show is aimed at big kids and little ones alike. It is a couple of hours of escapism, it makes you laugh, slightly teary in places and as a past absent father myself, you can’t help but feel some of the loss and pain that Daniel is feeling. There are some brilliant performances, Some high noted performances with regards the songs and a plot that speeds along at a very fast but controlled pace.

Personally, I thought it was brilliant and the audience on this comic relief performance, felt the same. All these people can’t be wrong surely?

What a how, so please go and enjoy it for what it is. A zany, funny and sometimes touching family musical.

(easily)

Reviewer: Mark Bilsby


Greasepaint and Stage Lights

Email: musicals@btinternet.com
website: www.greasepaintandstagelights.co.uk
Skip menu
Back to content