Mrs Doubtfire

Review by Paul Towers, 21/8/23

Mrs Doubtfire by John O’Farrell & Karey Kirkpatrick, music & lyrics by Wayne & Karey Kirkpatrick

Directed by Jerry Zaks

At Shaftsbury Theatre, London

“Gabriel Vick is a revelation”

If you loved the Robin Williams film then you will not be disappointed by this new musical version of the much loved story of a Dad’s desperate measures to spend time with his kids.

As Daniel Hillard, the father, Gabriel Vick is a comedic revelation. His vocal dexterity as he reels off impersonation after impersonation would have Robin Williams’ appreciation. Add in his clever use of a vocal looper to great comic effect and this is a career defining performance.

Trying desperately to keep up with Vick is Laura Tebbut as Miranda Hillard, the exasperated wife and mother of his three kids.

The rotating cast of the two younger children are lead by an adult but very young looking Carla Dixon-Hernandez.

The story, closely following the film, is of feckless Daniel, ever the small kid himself, being forced out of the family home by the Divorce Court. Desperate to have more contact with his offspring than the court imposed one day per week, he lands himself the a job as their nanny, an old Scottish woman.

All of the skits and routines from the film are faithfully recreated onstage. This includes the famous flaming boobs and dancing hoover moments.

All in all this is a laugh out loud, all singing and dancing night out that will leave you smiling from ear to ear as you leave the theatre

Mrs Doubtfire is booking now

www.shaftesburytheatre.com/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

A Murder is Announced

 

Review by Paul Towers, 11/9/23

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie, adapted by Leslie Darbon

Directed by John bale

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre 11  - 16 September 2023

“a cosy country weekend turns nasty”

A Murder is Announced is a staple of amateur theatre groups largely because it has a relatively large cast of 13 and is staged on a single set. Agatha Christie wrote detective thriller books which translated easily to the stage and have remained popular ever since their first publication over 100 years ago.

The plot of this drawing room mystery revolves around a complicated chain of inheritances sparked by a murder committed, as predicted by a newspaper announcement, of a stranger on Friday 13^th.

Director John Bale has brought out the comic possibilities of the script with star turns by Liz Kavanagh as dozy Dora Bunner (Bunny), companion to Letitia Blacklock (Alexandra Elliot), the lady of the house and Diana Gatenby Davies as Mitzi the Eastern European maid forever screaming with paranoid outrage.

A cosy country weekend turns nasty when a strange man is shot during a blackout. The arrival of both Miss Marple (Jane Towers) and Inspector Craddock (Michael King) eventually leads to the unravelling of this typical Christie murder mystery.

A marvellous set by Jacob Martin whisks us back to post war Chipping Cleghorn (probably somewhere in the Cotswolds) as a backdrop for the cast to toss around the machinations of the evening.

If you like your theatre to be thrilling and funny then pop down to The Little Theatre this week and see if you can work out whodunnit!

 

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk