Fiddler on the Roof

Attending on opening night it was good to see that WAOS were playing to a packed hall with an excellent production of this evergreen favourite show.

“Fiddler” which is as relevant now in 2018 as it was around 1905 at the time of a very disturbing and violent time for many people with Pograms(killing of a minority race) happening in Russia.

We were treated to a super Tevye in John Davies playing this major character in a kindly manner as husband and father with the most smooth dark velvet singing voice in all his songs. John directed his requests to God including the audience in his daily prayers.We had some  very tender moments together with Kath Adkins as his wife Golde including the very poignant”Do you Love Me” which was presented and sung well.In Tevye’s main song “If I Were a Rich Man” the ending chant was rather shorter than I have heard and perhaps would have added even more to this great number if extended?

Kath, with her Daughters Emily Smith as Tzeitel,Corrina Wilson as Hodel,Hatty Gribben as Chava and the two younger girls Louisa Turnbull as Shprintze and Poppy Fisher as Bielke gave a firm but fair style to her character and her daughter’s concerns both high and low, and always to Tevye her husband and man of the house.

Corrina as Hodel has such a lovely tone to her voice and in “Far from the Home I Love” was beautifully sung in a lovely scene with Tevye when she was leaving her home to be with her husband Perchik in Siberia.

Emily Smith as Tzeitel was gentle and also Hatty as Chava completed the three older daughters.All worked well together, perhaps a little more emotion from both of them when pleading with their father for his consent to their marriages would have added more to the scenes, but all did very well.

Edward Groombridge as Motel the Tailor I thought did so well in this character ,with a good singing voice and interpretation all round. Gareth  Gwyn-Jones as the revolutionary  Perchik got his character spot on and played this part with conviction.

The character of Lasar Wolf was played by Stewart Adkins, and together with John as Tevye “To Life”, was  just one of the high spots in the production.

Lydia Clough in the part of Yente portrayed the Matchmaker so well and with more than a touch of humour in the dialogue.

So many character parts in this show and impossible to comment on each and every one, but well done to Ryan Wuyts as Mendel very good on stage with a range of emotions and timing, and also Fraser McLauchlan as Fydeka a Russian soldier,Trevor Marks as the Rabbi,Liz Watson as Grandma Tzeitel,Peter Fishwick good as the lead Constable, and  not forgetting Anne Wilson as Fruma Sarah, the ghost of Lasar Wolf’s dead wife. I think Anne did really well, even more wailing towards the end of her solo would have been very scary.

This was a company show and one  which the society did very well with David King directing here for the first time.

The chorus numbers were well sung and balanced.I always feel that some of the songs,ie “Little Bird” “Anatevka” “Sunrise Sunset” are very meaningful and call for rather more quiet slower tempo’s to bring out the feel and words.

James Tovey as Musical Director had an Orchestra making some lovely authentic sounds, with a Mandolin adding another dimension, together with the sounds of Violins/Flute/Clarinet etc. As always James is sensitive to all the voices on stage and the balance was very good. and a good set The lighting was good and a good set with the usual house of Tevye which commanded the stage so well. A very well thought out programme-very colourful and informative.

I would like to give credit to the young men in the “Bottle Dance”, and also especially to Julie Slater for the choreography which was very effective throughout, also to David for his work with the company. A most enjoyable evening on a personal favourite show.

Many thanks all round and more great upcoming shows to enjoy in the future to look forward to.

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