NETheatre York are revisiting an old classic this week at Joseph Rowntree Theatre – as they transport us to the Jewish village of Anatevka for Fiddler on the Roof.
A musical which takes place on the cusp of the Russian revolution, it features a challenging score but an even more challenging story to portray.
We follow local milkman Tevye, played by director/chairman Steve Tearle, as he struggles to maintain his proud Jewish traditions in the face of a changing world – culminating in his three oldest daughters wishing to marry for love.
Fiddler on the Roof is at Joseph Rowntree Theatre from Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 April.
As we entered the theatre, we were faced with a literal ‘fiddler on the roof’ as Alice Atang sat proudly, violin in hand, on the top of the Zalman home. As the show progressed, not only did the family allow us to enter their home, but also to see the fierce vulnerability behind each character too.
Tevye may be seen jesting throughout at his ill-fate of having five daughters, but we soon witness just how important they are to him, enough for him to sacrifice his own morals. Perri Barley’s Golde kept the family in check, and I particularly enjoyed Golde and Tevye’s duet ‘Do You Love Me’ where her sarcasm turned endearment won over the audience – possibly one of the most relatable songs for many, with ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ just scraping first place.
What is striking about this production is how quickly it turned from a comedy to tragedy. The wedding scene with the fantastically sang ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ accompanied by beautifully authentic choreography (Melissa Boyd), was an excellent example of this, showing just how suddenly change can appear like an unwanted visitor. I found it particularly haunting to hear the strong opening number ‘Tradition’ reprised throughout, as these traditions broke down before Tevye, allowing Tearle to perform his moving monologues as he navigated his relationship with God.
Steve Tearle was just that – simply fantastic. I have seen Tearle perform in many NETheatre productions over the past few years, but it was refreshing to see him encompass such a complex character with such authenticity. It is easy to understand why he is reprising this role for the third time.
Completing the family alongside Tearle and Barley are their five daughters, three of which (Maia Stroud, Rebecca Jackson, Elizabeth Farrell) we meet through their sweet performance of ‘Matchmaker’ – as the older daughters enable us to see their independence begin to grow, only to reach full bloom as they started to navigate their own relationships.
Whilst there were a few misplaced American accents, I cannot fault the relationships between the siblings and their chemistry with their prospective partners. Tzeitel (Stroud) and Motel (Finlay Butler) were particularly charming, and their pure excitement during ‘Miracle of Miracles’ had the entire audience rooting for their success.
And these songs are at the heart of the story – songs that were performed flawlessly by the cast, as they mastered difficult harmonies and complex timings. Credit must be given to musical director/conductor Joe Allen; this was my favourite production by NETheatre and I feel a lot of that is due to his and his team’s hard work.
Boyd’s choreography and Tearle’s direction helped to compliment this, and I particularly enjoyed ‘The Bottle Dance’ which was brilliantly executed onstage. This song and ‘To Life’, which featured Chris Hagyard’s hilarious Lazar Wolf, enabled a celebration of faith to be portrayed, the perfect contrast to the challenges yet to be faced onstage in the second act.
The stage was utilised well – I feel having a slightly smaller cast than usual helped ensure there were smooth transitions, and there was space for the traveling movements to be well executed. There’s often a tendency with a musical as big as this to make everything over the top, but they didn’t do this; they were not afraid to sit in the uncomfortable silence that was the narrative and it was these moments that shone for me.
Tevye and Hodel’s (Rebecca Jackson) railway station scene was a prime example of this, as they allowed moments of stillness to wash over the entire auditorium and permitted the audience to witness the raw emotion being conveyed.
NETheatre should be proud of this production, and with the theme of traditions, it’s clear NETheatre have their own: the most prominent being that community is at the heart of what they do. Don’t miss out on your trip to this small corner of the world, where Tevye’s dreams await you.
Fiddler on the Roof is performing at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre until Saturday 27 April, grab your tickets at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre website.