Fiddler on the Roof

First things first; I fully admit to having a very soft spot in my heart for ‘Fiddler’. The music is beautiful, the dialogue witty and engaging and the story emotionally gripping as it echoes through history. But chiefly, this was the very first musical I ever directed and I felt, at the time, that I had poured my soul into it’s dramatic twists and turns.

So it was with a huge sense of anticipation I sat waiting for the overture in the New Hall, just aching for those memories to be reawakened. There may even be a small tear to come. TAOS tackled this wonderful musical competently and with heart. Although there were several places where attention to detail could have made for a stronger production, their audience was pleased - as was evident in their laughter, dramatic silences and applause.

We were treated to a strong Tevye, who won us over as quickly as he welcomed Perchik into his home and he carried the show with ease. Add to the mix a stirring musical performance from the orchestra an innovative set design and some very effective lighting and the result was an enjoyable performance that had me thinking wistfully of my own past. And yes there was a little tear courtesy of ‘The Sabbath Prayer’, which has always managed to tug at my heartstrings!

SET/STAGING/PROPERTIES

The stage at The New Hall isn’t the biggest space to work with, particularly when staging a show with a large cast like ‘Fiddler’. So in order to compensate for what was by necessity a fairly sparse stage, some rather innovative sliding panels had been designed to set the backdrop to the scenes. They must have been good as part way through the interval I found myself leaning over the seat in front muttering ‘How have they done that?’! The panels were used to greatest effect during the exciting ‘dream’ scene that introduces us to Lazar Wolf’s dead wife, Fruma Sara - the wall split apart, gushing forth smoke in the erie light and standing there was the ghost! Very nice effect indeed!

The overall look of the set was a little more ‘comic-book’ than I would have liked to have seen, painted as it was with bright colours, in bold, exaggerated strokes. Indeed the colour of the ‘exterior’ walls was close to a vibrant red, with large details painted in dark purples. This is the main aspect that made me use the term ‘comic-book’. It would have worked well if such a style had been followed through to the other stage elements like the tables, bed and even costumes, but the style of production called for more realism in it’s design.

Running in zig-zag fashion down from the front of the stage was a very effective ramp that not only offered an easy route on and off stage, but also another performance area - a great aspect of the staging that brought the show closer to the audience.

WARDROBE

The costuming for the residents of Anetevka was good for the most part, with just a few slightly-too-modern items sneaking in. Lazar Wolf’s printed stripy apron and some of the men’s hats felt out-of-place and shiny, and the perennial problem of the wardrobe of poor, hard-working people looking fresh from the shops. But these were in the minority and the attention to the main religious accoutrements was thorough.

LIGHTING

The lighting design was very strong and used to dramatic effect in several key numbers. Atmospheric and moody was the setting for the iconic ‘Sunrise Sunset’, with the canopy in semi-silhouette and gentle twinkling from a starcloth and the cast’s candles, while bright, vivid colour was the order of the day for Tevye’s nightmare.

SOUND & MUSIC

The production, which I have always thought of a ‘a play with music’ rather than a ‘musical’, lays heavy emphasis on it’s dialogue and as such our cast delivered excellently with volume and clarity. The orchestra sounded great and delivered the soulful score well - although I did have trouble hearing some of the cast’s vocals in the louder numbers. Not something the orchestra can solve, but worth considering some extra amplification on the stage for future productions. Loved the orchestra’s costumes - simple but effective, particularly as they were such a visible and integral part of the production. Kind of them to lend one of their number to perform perfectly as a soloist as ‘The Fiddler’.

CHOREOGRAPHY

The show isn’t heavily laden with opportunities for choreography, but there are some. Like Chava’s “Little Bird” solo, which she danced well, the slightly more lack lustre “Tradition” and the energetic setting of Tzeitel & Motel’s wedding. Most anticipated at the wedding is the famous bottle dance, which sees a line of chaps strut while balancing bottles on their hats. Unfortunately this was more of comedy turn as the bottles were quite obviously plastic and stuck to the hats - one spent the whole dance jutting out at a jaunty angle.

ENSEMBLE

It can often be forgotten that a strong principle cast is not enough to make a successful show. The ensemble is at least as important in creating a strong image for the audience. The ensemble for 'Fiddler' were willing if not always the most dynamic. The best numbers were ‘Sunrise Sunset’ and ‘Sabbath Prayer’ - mainly due to the focus on vocals and little movement. Another was 'The Rumour' - a delightful display of huddled gossiping across the stage and up and down the ramps at the front, with some strong solo lines delivered with gusto! One of the last lines sung by a young chorus girl on the ramp made me wonder if she needed pushing into bigger, principle roles in future! Less strong was the opening number for the show 'Tradition'. While Tevye and some of the ladies chorus  were strong, the men tended to be a little more statuesque and unconfident which didn't help this big number achieve the impact it deserves - some lovely harmonies were sneaking through, but I was craving more power.

The director used the ensemble in the auditorium well. When it came to 'Sunrise Sunset', setting a very moody scene with faces lit by candlelight, and when the time came to leave Anatevka they trudged off in all directions looking justifiably dejected.

PRINCIPLES

Tevye: The pivotal character of the piece, Tevye must be strong and engaging for his audience - and that’s just what we got. Tevye delivered comedy and drama in equal proportions and held his audience’s focus and attention well, without trying to mimic Topol’s famous performance. Great performance!

Golde: With the patience of a saint, Golde displayed her tolerance and strength within the household, and her love for her husband - particularly within ‘Do You Love Me?’.

Yentle: Traditionally seen as he comic character, Yentle sometimes has the propensity for becoming an over-the-top caricature. But not this time. She was light and funny with an air of realism that made her very believable.

Tzeitel: Eldest daughter of the house Tzeitel had some strong moments, particularly when ‘manipulating’ Motel into standing up to Tevye. She was well cast as number one daughter and

Hodel: Hodel gets that beautiful song ‘Far from the Home I Love’, which is often a tear-jerker. I didn’t quite get the tears this time, but the emotional wrench as she leaves for Siberia was strong. Hodel’s voice was particularly strong and stood out from her fellow sisters. Biggest criticism has to be the lack of chemistry between her and Perchik - they seemed to come together because the script said so and not because of any attraction we could have been shown.

Chava: Poor Chava’s tragic tail that leads her to fall in love with Russian Soldier, Fyedka lead to a great performance - particularly in the final confrontation with her father. Her dance in ‘Little Bird’ was nicely done, but despite her shy, coyness around him, I struggled to see the blossoming love between her and Fyedka.

Motel: Motel’s a great part. The meek tailor who has his own backseat driver, Tzeitel and who finally makes a stand for what he wants - and succeeds. I enjoyed his interactions with the blind Tevye, until he wins him over, including a great ‘worm has turned’ moment. Motel’s big number ‘Wonder of Wonders’ had a few pitching problems, but his acting strength saw him through.

Perchick: Anetevka’s visiting student Perchik swept in and made his presence and his opinions well known. He was forthright and a dominating character on the stage. I’ve mentioned the lack of chemistry between him and Hodel and feel that some of his was down to his constant ‘anti-tradition’ motive. Even the looks between him and Hodel suggested by the lyrics of ‘Sunrise Sunset’ were missed.

Fyedka: It’s only a small part, but Fyedka’s actions have a huge impact on the family. He was stoic and strong in his delivery - and I HAVE to mention that killer note in ‘To Life’! It cut through a slightly underwhelming number and energised the whole stage and cast. Brilliant!!

Lazar: Poor Lazar Wolf! What a time he has of it. He played out the part well and his banter with Tevye was well timed and funny, with the confrontation at the wedding making a nice contrast for his character.

AND FINALLY...

Not fitting under any particular category, here’s a few other snippets I noted during the performance...

• Bielke & Shprintze seemed far too old for the ages the script intended.
• ‘Matchmaker, Matchmaker’ was a little awkward and was missing the genuine playfulness needed to demonstrate the bond between the sisters.
• Loved how scatty the Rabbi was - great characterisation.
• Tevye needed more direction during ‘Rich Man’ as his moves started to become a bit repetitive on the big empty stage.
• Have to say again how great the lighting was, showing what is possible in a smallish venue.
• More proof that the audience loved Tevye came from somewhere behind me...”Oh! He’s got a lovely voice!”.
• Why was Lazar Wolf wearing his apron to an important meeting with Tevye to ask for his daughter’s hand?
• Grandma Tzeitel’s lines in the Dream Sequence were poorly timed and this threw the rest of the company (but they managed to pull it back)
• It’s a great number to set, and the look and feel of the Dream Sequence was great - nice touch with those ‘Phantom’ masks!

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