Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Sees A Traditional Musical About The Precariousness Of Life Return To Sydney

Tuesday 29th March 2016, 8pm, Capitol Theatre, Sydney

Examining the variability of life and the power of love, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is a touching tale of the challenges a father faces in a changing world. The struggle to protect a culture, religion and family from the outside world unfolds through the musical retelling of the Yiddish tale with heart and humour.

Richard Roberts' (Set Design) has created a stylized representation of Anatevka, an early 20th Century Pale of Settlement village in the Russian Empire. The set is kept relatively simple with walls of timber boards lining the performance space, cutouts of houses, delineated by changes in the direction of the planks. The cutouts reveal the lives within the homes and shops, providing a border for a town square, and a place for the Fiddler to be perched on a roof. The set, combined with the costumes, draw on the earthiness of browns to dominate the color palette reflecting the homespun simplicity of the rural community.

Director Roger Hodgman has kept the production simple in its visuals, drawing on Joseph Stein (Book) and Sheldon Harnick's(Lyrics) text and Jerry Bock's music to tell the story, avoiding the technology favored by many other directors. He has however clouded the clarity of the location through allowing the majority of the Jewish accents to wander between Eastern European, American, Australian and English. Whilst it is not necessary to utilize the American Jewish sound, as used in original productions, consistency of one style is necessary to express the close knit of the community. It is also important on an individual character basis to indicate they have grown up in the one location. The only exceptions to a consistent sound would be the outsiders that have not grown up in Anatevka, the Bolshevik revolutionary Perchik (Blake Bowden), Christian man Fyedka (Jensen Overend) and the Russian police Constable (David Whitney).

As Tevye, the father faced with trying to hold on to his family, religion and values, Anthony Warlow is wonderful. Warlow gives Tevye a sensitivity, humanity and gentle humor without turning him into a caricature. He delivers the classic self-effacing Jewish humor with a dryness and casualness that ensures it comes across as honest and real. In wig, beard and makeup, it is hard to recognize Warlow until he sings. His vocals are stunning, expressing the emotion with a commitment and understanding of the words with a beautiful texture and warmth. His talks to an unseen God are presented with an honest belief that there is someone there listening, not just presenting to the audience in general or an exit sign. As Warlow has presented Tevye with honesty and the intricacies of reality he has created a character that transcends time, remaining relatable in the 21st century, ensuring that the audience sympathizes with him as the world he has fought to create and hold together is seemingly crumbling beyond his control.

LIOR, as Motel, suitor to eldest daughter Tzeitel, gives the tailor a quiet sensitivity whilst Blake Bowden gives revolutionary and makeshift tutor Perchik a bolder confidence. Eldest daughters Tzeitel (Teagan Wouters), Hodel (Monica Swayne) and Chava (Jessica Vickers) present a delightful Matchmaker, Matchmaker as they dream of their futures and highlight the changes and challenges to tradition that they will soon face. The Dream sequence with Tevye, his wife Golde (Sigrid Thornton) and the apparitions of Grandma Tzeitel (Annie Standord) and Lazar Wolfe's dead wife Fruma-Sarah (Sara Grenfell) is a comic interlude with amusing choreography of the zombies and ghosts.

It is interesting that Hodgman has opted to present most of the supporting characters as more caricatures of the Jewish stereotype from the wife and mother Golde (Sigrid Thornton), matchmaker Yente (Nicki Wendt) to the gossipy townsfolk. Given that Tevye is presented with the texture and depth whilst still retaining the iconic 'Jewishness' and humor, it is odd that this same realism hasn't been drawn out of the other characters. There isn't the honesty and believability that the challenges the characters face are really affecting them, which in a way increases the sympathy given to Tevye but also presents the daughters and wife as colder and less compassionate.

Dana Jolly has recreated Jerome Robbins' choreography (original New York Production Director and Choreographer) which will satisfy any musical theatre fan with its bold ensemble work pieces and physicality. It captures the essence of Eastern Europe and Jewish culture with inclusion of traditional dances and an energetic celebratory Wedding Dance. It is however interesting to note that the Fiddler, who weaves his way in and out of scenes, reminding us of the precariousness of life, is a well-choreographed dancer but not an actual fiddler. Whilst some effort has been made to have his actions match the violinist in the orchestra pit, there were a number of distracting inconsistencies.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is a touching story with a timeless message that the only constant is change and through life we must always adapt and compromise. Suitable for all ages, and all faiths, this story of a father's love is poignant and moving with classic Jewish humor and beautiful music.

Photos: Jeff Busby

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Captiol Theatre, Sydney

From 23 March 2016

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