Musical theatre masterpiece Fiddler On The Roof first premiered on Broadway in 1964 and was the first musical theatre production in history to reach 3,000 performances. The original production was highly acclaimed and won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, Score, Book, Direction and Choreography and is currently the seventeenth longest-running show in Broadway history. The original West End production opened in 1967 at Her Majesty’s Theatre and played for 2,030 performances, starring Topol as Tevye. Since then, the show has seen six Broadway revivals, two West End revivals, numerous UK tours and a highly successful 1971 film, again staring Topol, which won the Oscar for Best Score/Adaptation. This year, following a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory a new production of Fiddler On The Roof transfers to the West End for a limited run. This production is directed by Tony and Olivier award-winning director Trevor Nunn and magically transforms The Playhouse Theatre into an immersive space for this intimate show about family and tradition.
Based on Tevye and His Daughters by Sholem Aleichem, Fiddler On The Roof is set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia which was a western region of Imperial Russia that existed between 1791 to 1917 and allowed permanent residency by Jews. At the time, outside the Settlement Jewish residency was mostly forbidden in the Orthodox Christian Russian Empire. The show centres on Tevye and his attempts to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon his family’s lives. Tevye endeavours to cope with the actions of his three oldest strong-willed daughters who wish to marry for love, each daughter’s choice of husband moving further away from the customs of the family’s Jewish faith and heritage. As an order comes from the Tsar that evicts the Jewish people from their little village of Anatevka, Tevye reflects that his family’s lives seem as precarious as the perch of a fiddler on a roof.
Featuring the iconic score including ‘Tradition’, ‘Matchmaker, Matchmaker’, ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ and ‘If I Were a Rich Man’, this production of Fiddler On The Roof has been playing at The Playhouse Theatre since March. Having received four and five star reviews when opening, this production stars Andy Nyman as Tevye. Joining the cast are Olivier Award winning Maria Friedman as Golde and television and theatre star Anita Dobson as Yente. As Anatekva’s matchmaker and busybody, Anita Dobson brings a delightful playfulness to the role of Yente. Dobson’s excellent characterisation and delivery of Yente results in the audience really feeling for her. As Tevye’s daughters break away from tradition and find their own matches, I found it heart-breaking when the older Yente starts questioning the legitimacy of match makers and her life’s work in the changing world. Often played for comic effect, Dobson is never stereotypical bringing a truthful quality to Yente and is a fine addition to this strong cast. As Golde, Maria Friedman fits into this Anatekva perfectly. Enveloping Golde, Friedman brings a wealth of stage experience to the part portraying a layered and truthful character. Friedman’s quiet and humble performance works beautifully as a loving onstage pas de deux with Nyman’s Tevye, creating a believable couple and overall family unit.
Trevor Nunn’s production of Fiddler On The Roof is a joyous revival showing great reverence to the original production. Not trying to reinvent the wheel, this production focuses on raw emotion and character work which is very refreshing in a climate where revivals or touring productions often miss the mark with their over complicated, stunt casted and gimmick driven revivals. Matt Cole has done an excellent job combining his choreography with the original Jerome Robbins choreography which was an absolute joy to see. One of the main stars on this production of Fiddler On The Roof is the incredible set design by Robert Jones. Encompassing the entire space at The Playhouse Theatre, the characters and story of Fiddler On The Roof spill out into the audience in this immersive production making the story all the more powerful. The simplicity of Nunn’s direction during the final song Anatevka coupled with Jone’s design as the characters leave their little village for the last time was a heartbreakingly beautiful spectacle.
Joyous, exuberant, funny and heart-breaking Trevor Nunn’s production of Fiddler On The Roof at The Playhouse Theatre is absolutely stunning. Due to the shows intimate setting and themes which are still painfully relevant today, the audience really feels like a resident of Anatevka as they share Tevye’s worries and joys throughout. There’s never been a better time to celebrate tradition, visit Anatevka and see this excellent production of Fiddler On the Roof.
Reviewed by Stuart James
Photo: Johan Persson
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