A musical based on the 1993 film Mrs Doubtfire is coming to the West End
(Picture: Handout)A musical comedy based on the beloved 1993 film Mrs Doubtfire is coming to London in 2023.
The story follows out-of-work actor Daniel Hillard who is devoted to his kids. After losing custody in a messy divorce, he creates the âalter 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 fatherhood.
The West End show is based on a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, along with original music and lyrics by Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick, and is by the same Tony Award-nominated team behind Something Rotten!
Mrs Doubtfire had an unlucky run following its original debut on Broadway in 2020 with the global pandemic forcing it to shut after only three performances.
It eventually returned in October 2021 and opened officially in December, to mixed reviews.
"Helloooo! I'm enquiring about the housekeeping position..." 👵🏻
— Mrs. Doubtfire UK (@DoubtfireUK) November 15, 2022
Mrs. Doubtfire is coming to the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre from 12 May 2023. 💙 https://t.co/Y1gB9Of6qg pic.twitter.com/uQ6fW1oili
The show then shuttered again in January, going on hiatus until March and following poor ticket sales, it closed once and for all in May.
Commenting on the show’s past misfortune, The Stage noted: “Musicals based on popular films tend to find an audience that will carry them for a few months at least, but the stop-and-start run of Doubtfire clearly served to staunch any momentum it might have accumulated.
“The power of the title and the generational affection attached to the film was undermined at every turn, with mixed reviews and a frequently interrupted advertising campaign failing to excite potential audiences.”
Mrs Doubtfire’s UK campaign got off to a promising start following its debut in Manchester earlier this year.
It is now set to transfer to the newly refurbished Shaftesbury Theatre in London from May 12, 2023.
Gabriel Vick, who has previously starred in Avenue Q, is set to play Daniel/Mrs Doubtfire.
Mr Vick has some big shoes to fill as the role was played in the movie to perfection by the late Robin Williams and is regarded as one of his best-loved performances.
Vick will be joined in the principal cast by Carla Dixon-Hernandez (Matilda the Musical) as Lydia Hillard, Cameron Blakely (The Addams Family) as Frank Hillard, former X Factor finalist Marcus Collins (Kinky Boots) as Andre, and Ian Talbot OBE (Hairspray, and Director of The Mousetrap) as Mr Jolly.
Further cast include Joshua Dever, Samuel Wilson-Freeman, Maria Garrett, Kiera Haynes, Adam Lyons, Lisa Mathieson, Ellie Mitchell, Matt Overfield, Tom Scanlon, Vicki Lee Taylor and Rebecca Donnelly, Amy Everett and Paulo Teixeira.
The roles of Miranda Hillard, Stuart Dunmire, Janet Lundy, Wanda Sellner and the full cast are to be announced at a later date.
