Fiddler On The Roof - New Wimbledon Theatre (Review)
Review by David Munro
FIDDLER On The Roof was conceived in 1960 when Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joe Stein were looking for a show to follow their not very successful The Body Beautiful.
It was suggested that there might be possible material in the works of Sholom Aleichem and they looked first at his novel Wandering Star, which dealt with the exploits of a touring Jewish theatrical troupe. This idea, however, was discarded; yet it was felt that there was material which could be used in his Tevye stories and, in 1961, a rough outline was prepared and the rights obtained.
They approached Harold Prince with a view to his producing it but he felt that it needed Jerome Robbins to direct it and, as Robbins was not immediately available, he lost interest in the project, persuading the team to write the very successful She Loves Me in the meantime.
With this under their respective belts, and with Robbins becoming involved, Fiddler went into rehearsals in 1964, opening on Broadway on September 22, 1964 and running for 3,424 performances – making it the longest-running musical on Broadway of the era.
Tevye, the dairyman and major character, was originally played by Zero Mostel who endeavoured to make the part his own and, as the run progressed, proceeded to ad lib mercilessly with the intent of turning it into the Zero Mostel show.
He thought that the show would fold without him but when the producers decided not to renew his contract after the first nine months and replaced him with Luther Adler it became apparent that the show was strong enough to sustain whomsoever played Tevye and the run continued inexorably to its record-breaking finale.
In London, the role was played by Topol, who is now firmly identified with it – particularly since he played it in the subsequent film. The London production opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in February 1967 and ran for 2,030 performances; since then, there have been several revivals with the most recent one at the Savoy Theatre last year with Henry Goodman as Tevye.
The plot concerns events in a the Russian Village of Anatevka where the dairyman Teveye is trying to preserve the traditions of the Jewish race and culture and, at the same time, find husbands for his three daughters.
His problems and that of his wife, Golde, and their interrelationship with the other villagers in this predominately Jewish village takes up the major action of the piece which ultimately resolves in a pogrom whereby the Jewish villagers are dispossessed and leave for America and other parts of Europe taking with them the Fiddler, who represents the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people.
Whilst Tevye holds the show together it is very much an ensemble piece and as with any Jerome Robbins production focussed on the chorus songs and dances which move whatever plot there is seamlessly forward; which is the main reason why the actor playing Tevye, though the principal character, is not indispensable.
This is in no way intended to belittle the performance of Martin Callaghan, who took over last night at two hours’ notice from Joe McGann, the current incumbent of the role in the touring production under review.
In fact, Mr Callaghan fitted into the role seamlessly making the most of his big moments and songs and proving to be a charming and understanding paterfamilias and husband.
In fact, he and the chorus were the best thing in the show which, when there was no singing or dancing, had definite longeurs, proving to me at any rate that without a Jerome Robbins at the helm this is a very boring musical.
Julian Woolford, the current director, is no Jerome Robbins and he ensured that the dialogue scenes were unbearably tedious.
The evening was saved from total disaster by Chris Hocking’s virile and imaginative recreation of Jerom Robbin’s choreography and the excellent singing by the chorus and the other principals – which, after all, is what a musical is all about!
Carrie Ellis was a tuneful virago as Golde Tevye’s wife and his three principal daughters were adequately represented by Jessica Punch, Katie Lovell and Martine Mcmenemy.
What action Mr Woolford allowed the cast was framed by Charles Camm’s minimal but effective sets making the production very pleasant to look at.
This production is very much the curate’s egg, or perhaps more appropriately the apocryphal little girl who, when she was good, was very, very good but when she was bad she was horrid – you have been warned!
Fiddler on the Roof. Book by Joseph Stein.
Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
Director – Julian Woolford.
Choreographer – Chris Hocking (reproducing original choreography by Jerome Robbins).
Set designer – Charles Camm.
Lighting – David Howe.
Sound – Ross Portway and John Higson.
Musical director – Gareth Willliams.
Presented by Martin Dodd & Peter Frosdick.
New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG.
From Tuesday, May 6 – Sat, May 10, 2008.
Evenings: 7.30pm/Matinees – Thurs & Sat 2.30pm
Box Office: 0870 060 6646