Fiddler According to TheaterMania

[bestofbroadway]

Fiddler According to TheaterMania#0

Posted: 4/3/04 at 3:36pm

If you haven't seen this article you have to read it. This mans comments are so far off base, expecially regarding British directors. Saying that the Fiddler revival isn't any good is understandable (although his only argument seems to be that it wasn't funny enough) but saying that British directors have no business directing American musicals is almost as stupid and small minded as saying that non-Jewish actors can't play Jewish roles. Comments?

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm?int_news_id=4562

[BreeDaniel]

re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#1

Posted: 4/3/04 at 4:24pm

Yeah, I thought it was pretty stupid. He didn't do a very good job at defending his feelings, instead making little jabs at certain performers. I don't know what age this guy is, but he sounds like an old show queen that saw every other production and doesn't want to accept change.

What I found especially shocking was that he said that Stephen Lee Anderson, who plays the Constable, "always reads as gay onstage." I have never thought that about him. You know him--the guy who was the reverend dad in "Footloose" or the creepy dad in "Violet". It's not like Tommy Tune is playing the part!

He also says that David Ayers, "who's been (mis)cast as the Russian Fyedka looks, sounds, and acts like some Chelsea boy." That's also hilarious because from what I hear Ayers is one of the biggest kitty-hounds on Broadway! Updated On: 4/3/04 at 04:24 PM

[bially082]

re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#2

Posted: 4/3/04 at 4:27pm

i show the show.

I have to say, I don't disagree with anything he said....

Visually, it's the Best Fiddler I've seen. But Molina really sucked the big one in it. He made the it almost see like a joke.

You are young, life has been kind to you. You will learn.

[BreeDaniel]

re: re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#3

Posted: 4/3/04 at 4:38pm

You show the show? :)

So you thought those guys acted gay, too? I understand the negativity towards the production but that seemed out of left field to me.

[JeffG]

re: re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#4

Posted: 4/3/04 at 4:38pm

I thought I recognized the name Stephen Lee Anderson. I haven't seen Fiddler on the Roof yet, but I will say that I thought he definitely came off "gay" in Footloose and also on the cd for the show. More so on the CD.

I do think that's a crappy thing to say about Tommy Tune though, Bree, but I see your comparison.

I'm looking forward to seeing the show soon and will post my thoughts.

[magruder]

re: re: re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#5

Posted: 4/3/04 at 5:16pm

It's funny that he leaves the Mendes co-directed Cabaret and the Hytner Carousel out of his contention that British directors cannot direct American musicals. (And his opinion on the Mendes Gypsy is shared by a handful, but by no means all of his colleagues). To quote Pickering, "Come sir, I think you've picked a poor example."

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

[BreeDaniel]

re: re: re: re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#6

Posted: 4/3/04 at 6:57pm

Yes, people often leave out Mendes/Cabaret when trying to tell the world that Brits can't direct American musicals.

[Al Dente]

re: re: re: re: re: re: Fiddler According to TheaterMania#7

Posted: 4/3/04 at 9:20pm

It was a strange article. A bit unecessary at this point in time, Imo. I've also heard it said that Mr. Anderson has a speech impediment, which makes his "s's" very prominent and if that's the case, than saying Anderson is "too gay" is in poor taste for a plethora of reasons.

[FrontRow]

Fiddler According to TheaterMania#8

Posted: 4/5/04 at 1:25pm

First of all, this article is a good warning to people -- including several on this message board -- not to OVERREACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, this wasn't the best Fiddler or you were disappointed. It doesn't make it worse than the average JCC production.

He hated the Oklahoma, Man of La Mancha, Gypsy revivals? Well, that discredits him right there. Some of the alleged revisions in these productions were so slight, who knows if he'd even recognize them if he hadn't heard about them in advance.

Nachum the beggar's part is too big? I didn't even notice him except in his Tradition solo.

Yes, Fyedka and all the Russians are hotties (I could see that from the rear mezz), but I wouldn't call them Chelsea boys.

What girl-on-girl action in Matchmaker? I thought they were making beds or setting the table.

The Dream staging is overdone and the fantastical elements not really appropriate, but it doesn't ruin the whole show.

Molina underplays Tevye compared to Zero Mostel. And the Jewish/Yiddish intonations are minimized. But no one's mistaking Anatevka for Beacon Hill because of it.

I personally felt the production lacked emotional punch -- the wedding destruction and Hodel's departure have always been major tearjerkers to me, and I just didn't feel it from this production. That would be my main criticism. But the musicality of the show is well-preserved. And the performances are at worst adequate.

Portantiere got way too carried away with his nitpicking. And he needs to have fewer preconceived notions before seeing revivals...and also stop taking lessons at the Michael Riedel School of Trying to Become More Famous Than the People/Shows You're Reviewing by getting on such a soapbox. The "innovations" in this revival do not justify such a reaction.

My note to Leveaux would be: Enough with the little-boy-as-metaphor. The villagers filing past the boy as they leave Anatevka looked just like all the women kissing the boy goodbye in Nine.