Book by Joseph Stein
Music: Jerry Bock
Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick
Director: Jordan Fein
This new production of Fiddler on the Roof for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is a triumph. This evergreen show, now 60 years old, works wonderfully at the Open Air Theatre as imagined by director Jordan Fein.
Fein talks in the programme about his great-grandparents emigrating to America from Kiev in 1910 and his emotional investment is evident in his strong vision for this production. Not least of the show’s attractions is the set, which blends naturally into the background of dark trees enclosing the theatre. Brilliantly designed by Tom Scutt, Tevye’s home is suggested by a great upward-curving sweep of a roof which doubles as a cornfield.
This allows for the Fiddler, a glorious performance by Raphel Papo, to emerge as if through the field to play his plaintive songs. A further lower field lies just beyond, allowing for evocative scenes in which the members of the family appear and disappear between the rows of corn. It’s a great use of a relatively small space, and as night settles over Regent’s Park, there really is an illusion of a distant Russian shtetl long ago.
The performances themselves are uniformly strong. Adam Dannheisser is all you would wish for as the milkman Tevye. He gives a warm, energetic performance, singing with considerable richness and power. He has great comic abilities, particularly in his direct addresses to God. He is, of course, the key to the show, as he is forced to let go, one by one, the traditions which he celebrated in his first number.
Lara Pulver as his Golde, his wife of many years, seems rather too posh for a woman from this background, but she earns her place with her really glorious voice. Liv Andrusier is compelling as oldest daughter Tzeitel with Dan Wolff as Motel, looking suitably nerdy before transforming himself into the man bold enough to claim her as his bride. But in truth, all the young women and their admirers are strongly played. Particularly impressive are Georgia Bruce as Hodel and Daniel Krikler as Perchik.
Fiddler on the Roof, of course, demands a huge cast of villagers, both accepting of and hostile to their Jewish neighbours. Julia Cheng’s choreography is brilliant, the stage constantly alive, but never cluttered as the cast gathers and disperses to sing or join in a vivid (and comic) argument. Particularly striking is the scene of Tevye’s dream, here cleverly reimagined, with the supposed ghost of Golde’s grandmother sitting up from her white-shrouded grave to spell out just what will happen if Tzeitel is forced to marry the elderly butcher, Lazar Wolf rather than Motel.
The band, under the musical supervision of Mark Aspinall, are superb, the songs themselves absolute classics.
A dark shadow hangs over the whole story, as the rumours of pogroms in far-off places suddenly become real. But this is what gives Fiddler on the Roof its undoubted depth, with the joy of family and community shining through. This show deserves to be more widely seen.
Runs until 21 September 2024
The Reviews Hub Score
Evergreen joy
