Work Light Productions, tour presented by Broadway in Boston at Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston through September 21. BroadwayinBoston.com
Parenting can be just as demanding for a father as for a mother. Fans of the late great Robin Williams will fondly remember his touching portrayal of an earnest father in the 1993 hit movie "Mrs. Doubtfire." While Williams displayed his signature comic brilliance as father Daniel Hillard, who disguised himself as the title nanny to take care of his own three children, the movie proved affecting in demonstrating his deep caring. This combination of comedy and insight should be as essential to a musical version of the film. Unfortunately, the 2019 show—on Broadway in 2021—seems to overdo the comic factors so much that the resulting effort—with music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick and book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell - often sacrifices custody of the ultimate balance that made the film so memorable.
Clearly Daniel means to show that he deserves to be an integral part of his children's upbringing—as illustrated by a winning song in the early going entitled "I Want to Be There." Craig Allen Smith—who took over the title role during the tour - brings conviction to the father's determination in this winning number as well as in reflective moments at various points in the show. Smith, an effective performer, brings satisfying phrasing to his singing and smoothly captures the quick change between father and so-called Scottish Doubtfire. Strangely, the creators of the musical often overdo hilarious moments with sequences at odds with Daniel's struggles as well as the development of the well-known plot.
Original producer Kevin McCollum was known to have spoken of the plot as "tailored for Broadway audiences." There is nothing wrong with inserting such updating elements as computers and Wi-Fi in a 2021 adaptation, but this musical version seems to suggest that modern day audiences are willing to sacrifice believability to a preference for silliness and incongruity. For instance, an ensemble of chefs complete with appropriate white outfits and hats materialize as Daniel—Mrs. Doubtfire attempts to concoct a meal from recipes on a tablet. Later, Daniel seems plagued by a nightmare vision of eight broom-brandishing Mrs. Doubtfires. Neither sequence proves truly witty or even inspired.
Elsewhere the writers have curiously decided to make mother Miranda's boyfriend a fitness entrepreneur who has commissioned her to provide fashions for the line he is introducing. Inexplicably, Mrs. Doubtfire replaces a missing model in the company's dancing sequence and makes an equally surprising appearance at a following brief workout session that has no real connection to what preceded it. Also, the famous restaurant transformations that Williams smoothly achieves in the film become a kind of unclimactic afterthought since Daniel's children discover his disguise as Mrs. Doubtfire right before the end of the first act. At the same time, a flamenco number in Michael Jon Slinger's uneven choreography is disappointingly brief.
Still, under the tour direction by Steve Edlund, Smith makes a game effort at capturing the nanny's persuasiveness in making sure that the children do their homework and satisfy their mother's expectations. Smith shares a sweet duet with Alanis Sophia, who makes a solid transition from attitude to affection as older sister Lydia. Sophia displays a strong voice on their penultimate number "Just Pretend." Melissa Campbell has the right sincerity as Miranda.
Daniel speaks of the nanny bringing out the best in him. So it goes for Williams' portrayal and the appealing film itself. Although many audience members felt this way opening night at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, for this critic—and perhaps many fans of the original effort—the creators of the musical "Mrs. Doubtfire" needed to parent their collaboration with greater care.