Topol Has 'Magic to Do, Just For You' in 'Fiddler on the Roof' at the Hippodrome

Thank you so much reading this. I know you may have probably seen some incantation of the Broadway hit musical Fiddler on the Roof. You have seen it at camp, in high school or college, at a community theater and/ or dinner theater. You may have seen a professional touring company or even the recent Broadway production with Alfred Molina in the leading role. You may have seen the 1971 film. You may have even performed in it yourself. In fact, I played Lazar Wolf the butcher at the White Marsh Dinner Theater with my daughter Britt playing daughter Shprintze.

So, you may ask, how did this tradition get started. (Sorry about that). I mean why should one spend the time, the money and head to Baltimore's historic Hippodrome Theatre to see yet another professional tour of this magical tale. This I can tell you in one word. (Sorry about that again). Can you spell TOPOL??

Chaim Topol, the Israeli born actor, gives an iconic performance that you will never forget.

I know there will some readers who will say "why see this again?"

I'm ready for you. If an opera production featuring Placido Domingo came to town in an opera you've seen many times, you wouldn't hesitate still to get a ticket. Topol will make you laugh, make you cry. He dances and struts across the stage like someone much younger than one in his early seventies.  He has incredible comedic timing. He is passionate. He emanates warmth as well as strength. He loves his children and shows his constant devotion to God. He constantly has conversations with the deity trying to understand why bad things keep happening to him.

This production has more of a Jewish twist to it than the recent Broadway version. When Tevye prays, he prays in Hebrew.  Unlike that version, the daughters look Jewish (although they all seemed too similar in age - normally Shprintze and Bielke are much younger than their three older sisters who get a chance to sing "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"). There seems to be a Mezuzah on every door post. At the end of the play, when the citizens of are leaving their homes, the Rabbi carries a Torah. There's a small Menorah in Tevya's home (a larger one would have worked so much better). 

Based on Sholom Aleichem's short story "Tevye's Daughters", the 1964 musical won nine Tony Awards and played 3,242 performances starring Zero Mostel.  While Mostel seemed to be a comedian and a caricature,  Topol's Tevye seems to be so much more realistic.

Susan Cella plays Tevye's wife Golda and they have great chemistry together. The three daughters who sing "Matchmaker" are delightful: Rena Strober (Tzeitel), Jamie Davis (Hodel) and Deborah Grausman (Chava).

Speaking of matchmakers, lucky Mary Stout plays the plum role of Yente, the matchmaker. Her red wig gets a full view during the wedding scene and needs to be replaced. It reminded me of  Princess Lea.

nother Broadway veteran, David Brummel is a terrific Lazar Wolf, the butcher. The infamous duet "To Life" brings down the house. This I noticed had a much quicker tempo that normal (musical director David Andrew Rogers does a masterful job).

One of the most famous numbers sung by Tevye is "If I Were a Rich Man". Here, Topol starts it with a very slow tempo and it works.

Playing Motel the tailor is Erik Liberman. He fits his role...like a glove. (Sorry again).

Playing the revolutionary student Perchik is Colby Foytik. The Russian Fyedka (Eric Van Tielen) who loves daughter Chava, is head and shoulders above the rest of the cast.

The evening is filled with great scenes by a terrific ensemble that is full of energy and dances with great precision.  There's the wonderful "Tradition" which opens the show, the lovely ballad "Sabbath Prayer", the hilarious and clever "The Dream", and the beautiful "Chava Sequence".

The two beautiful duets sung by Tevye and Golde "Do You Love Me" and "Sunrise, Sunset" will give you goose bumps. The Playbill should include tissues.

The costumes (Tony Ray Hicks) are in some way too beautiful. The shoes and the clothing seem right off the rack and should be a little more worn since Tevye is a poor dairyman.

Director Sammy Dallas Bayes beautifully reproduces the Jerome Robbins' incredible choreography and deserves much praise working with such a huge cast of over forty.

The 12 musicians in the pit are terrific. Special mention to those members who perform on stage during the wedding scene: Igor Shakhman on the clarinet, Sasha Luminsky on accordion, and Tom Goslin on mandolin.

Be warned, Act I is one hour and 45 minutes long.

There is a Baltimore connection in the caSt. Matthew Marks (Cline) is a graduate of Towson's Carver Center for the Arts and Technology. He plays the Russian Sasha (look for the purple shirt). See my article on Matt elsewhere on this site.

Another Baltimorean Robbie Roby left the cast and is now on Broadway in Billy Elliot.

It is not often one gets to see an authentic icon of the stage.  Do NOT miss this opportunity to watch a real genius on stage in Topol. What a voice.

Fiddler on the Roof  plays to Nov. 1. For those who work downtown, I have a suggestion. There is a business person's special on Thursday, October 29 at 1 p.m.  Take a long lunch and you can then return to your office after the show ends at 4 p.m. For tickets, call 410-547-SEAT.

Look for two new restaurants soon to open across from the Hippodrome:  Heidi's Deli and Sister's Pizza and Mussels.

The remaining season includes:

Nov. 24-29 - Mamma Mia!

Dec. 16-27 - Dreamgirls

Jan.12-24 - Young Frankenstein

Feb.23-Mar. 7 - In the Heights

Mar.16-28 - Stomp

Apr. 8- May 2 - Phantom of the Opera

June 1-13 - The 39 Steps

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.

 

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