Earlier this year, only a few weeks into the Menier Chocolate Factory run of Trevor Nunn’s critically acclaimed Fiddler on the Roof, its West End transfer was confirmed. Yesterday, a mere couple of days after the show opened at the Playhouse Theatre, it was announced that booking has been extended to September. And it’s not hard to see why.
Set in 1905, Fiddler on the Roof tells the deceptively feel-good story of Tevye (Andy Nyman), a Jewish patriarch in the Russian shtetl of Anatevka, whose determination to abide by tradition is repeatedly tested by the insistence of his strong-willed eldest daughters (Molly Osborne, Harriet Bunton and Nicola Brown) on choosing their own husbands. But as Tevye himself explains in the show’s opening monologue, the lives of the Jewish community in Anatevka are as precarious as a fiddler on a roof; no spoilers here, but let’s just say anyone hoping for a happy ending to the show is in for a bit of a shock.
And yet, in a way, it’s not such a shock. This is a story that shouldn’t strike any kind of chord for a supposedly enlightened 21st century audience – yet tragically (and incredibly), it still feels all too relevant, and the final scenes all too inevitable. The production very deliberately immerses us in the life of Tevye and his community, with Robert Jones’ stunning set design wrapped all the way around the theatre, and the actors frequently walking among the audience to enter and exit the stage. Having joined them for the Sabbath, for a wedding and a joyous, alcohol-fuelled celebration of life, the show’s heartbreaking conclusion becomes all the more impactful, not least when you acknowledge it’s based on historical fact.
Andy Nyman is an absolute natural as Tevye; from the moment he arrives on stage, he has such energy, wit and warmth that it’s impossible not to like him. Tevye as a character provides plenty of opportunities for humour – always quick with a witty retort, not afraid to give God a good talking to, and amusingly full of bluster while he secretly lets his wife and daughters walk all over him. But as the show goes on the role calls for much greater emotional depth, and Nyman is absolutely on the money on both fronts. Alongside him, Judy Kuhn is similarly captivating as his wife Golde, and the two have touchingly believable chemistry as a husband and wife who may not have married for love, but have discovered it together over the past 25 years.
Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s score is one that most people will be familiar with, even if you’ve never seen the show, and it boasts some excellent tunes. Despite their catchiness, though, the musical numbers shouldn’t be dismissed as simply a singalong opportunity, and seeing them performed – without exception, brilliantly – in the context of the production lends them layers of new meaning. The choreography, by Jerome Robbins (who directed and choreographed the original Broadway production) and Matt Cole, is sensational to watch and performed with such enthusiasm and joy by the whole cast that it becomes utterly infectious.
Oh, and did I mention the production is gorgeous to look at? Robert Jones’ set overflows from the stage to take in the whole of the Playhouse (now starting to get a bit of a reputation for its incredible transformations) – and it’s exquisite in every detail, from the dim, smoky atmosphere that envelops you as you walk in, to the simple rustic homes of Anatevka and the trees silhouetted dramatically against the subtly changing light as day turns gradually to night.
Funny, heartwarming, fascinating, tragic and devastating, Fiddler on the Roof is an unusual but hugely powerful musical, and this production brings out the very best in it. The previous run at the Menier was a sell-out, and this one looks set – and deserves – to go the same way. So get yourself a ticket while you can; this triumphant revival is not to be missed.
Fiddler on the Roof is now booking to 28th September at the Playhouse Theatre.
Theatre Things 