Belting, as it does, straight into ‘Largo al factotum’ (‘Figaro’, anyone?), and featuring a soundtrack humming with the likes of Aerosmith, Frank Sinatra and The Four Seasons, it isn’t difficult to conceive of the idea of 1993 smash hit Mrs Doubtfire being given a musical makeover all of its own. For sure, there’s alway going to be the not-inconsiderable challenge of finding someone who can navigate stepping out from the buxom, smoking shadow of the late Robin Williams’ iconic, Golden Globe-winning performance, but much like another renowned musical theatre offering… get your ‘Effie’ right, and you’re halfway there, surely?

Well, after a successful two-year stint on the West End, Kevin McCollum, Jamie Wilson and Jerry Zaks are taking everyone’s favourite Scottish nanny with a big secret on the road. The Birmingham Hippodrome is the first leg of a multi-venue UK tour, and it’s hard not to feel like this is the perfect life for this spirited, family-friendly, funny, big-budget production.

And perhaps their biggest coup is undoubtedly retaining the ‘lady’ herself, as OG cast member Gabriel Vick reprises the lead (and titular) role of Daniel Hillard, the divorced dad whose determination to see his children sees him donning the disguise of an elderly Scottish childminder. If the biggest litmus for Doubtfire was always going to be how confidently the magic of Williams could be either captured or reconfigured, Vick rises to the task masterfully. He possesses all the essential ingredients of the character – mimicry (everything from Yoda to, inevitably, Trump) and a barnstorming, almost infantile mania at the outset – and has the mannerism and voice of his greatest creation absolutely on point. Perhaps most admirably, as Daniel, deplete of the Doubtfire makeup, costume and prosthetics, Vick crafts a character all of his own, and doesn’t rely on just phoning in a Williams tribute act (no, not Robbie… though he curiously gets namechecked).

For sure, the broader strokes of this showy, colourful hoot don’t afford the character quite the breathing space or moments of introspection as the film, with the emotional beats here fairly on-the-nose or confined to some perfunctory soul-searching numbers. But when it comes to the comedy and sheer physicality of his Euphegenia, Vick is a powerhouse. Iconic and audience favourite moments, such as some razor-sharp choreography with a vacuum cleaner, are here and delivered to perfection, and as mentioned an early highlight keeps Daniel’s penchant for impressionism intact and showcased to Samuelle Durojaiye’s unimpressed court liaison.

“…when it comes to the comedy and sheer physicality of his Euphegenia, Vick is a powerhouse.”

Yet curiously, it’s when Mrs Doubtfire veers furthest from the film that it seems to find its strongest footing as a musical. Daniel’s ex-wife Miranda (Kara Lily Hayworth), memorably played by a steely Sally Field on screen, is repurposed here as a burgeoning fashion designer. A wholly new set piece where Mrs D is conscripted into modelling plus size sportswear for a fashion show is not only a hoot, but also one of the rarer moments the show really seems to fully flex its musical theatre muscles. Elsewhere, Daniel’s brother, hair and make-up designer Frank (Ryan Pidgen) and partner Andre (Jairus McClanahan) feature more prominently, incorporated into scenes such as a testing apartment visit and the climactic restaurant shenanigans, and they’re great fun throughout. They’re afforded some fun wrinkles and dimension, including an adoption subplot that Daniel’s escapades could put into jeopardy, and Frank’s hilarious tendency to shout whenever he’s forced to lie. And you can imagine how often that is, given they are the prime architects of the Doubtfire creation. In fact, their big number, ‘Make Me A Woman’ where Effie comes into being, is a riot, and arguably the best set piece of the entire show.

It’s just a slight shame that some of the musical connective tissue is a little less sure of itself, and doesn’t always make the most compelling case for Mrs Doubtfire being a musical. A Siri-focused cooking tutorial, that culminates in the iconic moment of smoking mammaries, is fun but superfluous, whilst a late-game aria from a scorned flamenco dancer (a fantastic Rhianne Alleyne) is not only hilarious, but probably the closest the show comes to having the music directly drive forward narrative, message and event. Some of the more character-centric numbers feel a little formulaic and stalling, though a brilliant Aaliya Mai thankfully gets to carry several of them as Lydia, the eldest of Daniel’s children.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Daniel himself gets precious few moments to carry musically. An Act II back-and-forth with James Darch’s handsome, burly love rival (whom Darch does an admirable job of shaping out beyond the fairly anaemic writing for the character) is peppy and characterful, but it does seem something of a missed opportunity that for a musical of Mrs Doubtfire, most of the musical numbers merely orbit around her.

By contrast, Karey Kirkpatrick and Jerry O’Farrell’s book is so on point you could easily imagine a world where this cast and company delivered Doubtfire as a non-musical comedy and it would still be a riot. There’ve been some inevitable modernisations – an aquarium-plunged tv remote is now withheld Wi-Fi, and as mentioned, many of the supporting cast are afforded a little more dimension. Durojaiye’s Mrs Sellner is a much more astute, no-nonsense and intelligent operator here, whilst Miranda is afforded more sympathy as we see her sitting alone in marriage therapy sessions, and later crooning her former marital woes to a disguised Daniel.

“…a carefully balanced homage that at the same time fleshes out its supporting cast, modernises where necessary, and crucially brings a beloved character to the stage in fairly faultless style.”

But overall, it’s a carefully balanced homage that at the same time fleshes out its supporting cast, modernises where necessary, and crucially brings a beloved character to the stage in fairly faultless style. The prosthesis and transformation that Vick undergoes to the become the lady herself is, naturally, quicker and more perfunctory than on-screen, but even so it’s still a remarkable fusion of craft and performance that bring her so brilliantly to life.

And if some of the songs are is a little forgettable, Zaks, choreographer Lorin Latarro and their UK tour team keep it moving at a brisk, punchy pace, whilst a terrific company deliver everything from high-kicking chefs to Doubtfire clones, and even a glitzy chorus line featuring Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher and other iconic women of yesteryear. David Korins’ staging has been faithfully brought on the road, and looks suitably big-budget and impressive.

Much like the lady herself, Mrs Doubtfire is a show that is laugh-out-loud funny, immediately likeable, eventually loveable and a whole lot of fun along the way. It honours what has come before, and by going on the road will doubtless reach all new audiences for whom the show will resonate and entertain. It honours the film, whilst still managing to find its own voice and identity… even if you are occasionally left wishing that it had taken its search for individuality just a notch or two further.

Come what may though, it isn’t difficult to imagine it being a firm new family favourite for ‘poppets’ of every age, up and down the Country.

So people of Britain, be assured…

Help is on the way, dears.

Euphegenia Doubtfire is taking to the road, and she’s a hip old granny who can hip-hop, bebop, dance ’til she drops and yo, yo, serve up a very funny, fabulous show, show.