Fiddler and Harvey

[stylinbohemian]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:18pm

OKay im seeing this in one week and I was wondering what you guys think of it with Harvey Fierstein?

[ShuQ]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:18pm

I thought he did an "okay" job. I didn't blame him...but instead the people who cast him. What were they thinking?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:26pm

Harvey was....Harvey. He played straight very well and brought much needed Judiasm into a very goyisha show.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:45pm

try to get your money back and see it with a real singer and actor. this is poor stunt casting. I love the man, Harvey Fierstein..........but even those close to Harvey know that his performance is rather embarassing(ASK Marc Shaiman--the composer of HAIRSPRAY and a regular user of this Board to PM you about Harvey in FIDDLER--sorry, but I suspect Mr. Shaiman will not say the positive things you are hoping to hear about Fierstein's performance)......FIDDLER is a masterpiece, but you will not know it with its current star. Harvey was FABULOUS in HAIRSPRAY and that has clouded the opinions of some folks on this Board about him. It DID NOT cloud the professional reviewers opinion of his performance. This is a pretty production of FIDDLER but nowhere near the majesty of the original. Molina was notoriously dreadful and simply vacant and miscast as Tevye and then they did this stunt casting with Harvey Fierstein. Tis sad. Hope you will see FIDDLER with a real Broadway muscial star and treasure it for the masterpiece it is someday. ENJOY!!! :)

[renthead2005z]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:51pm

aww harvey isn't that bad..

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:56pm

Wow - WishIhadaTony - we have totally different tastes. I know Fiddler like I know the back of my hand. I worked the show for over a year with Herscel Benardi, who was great in the role. I've seen most major productions over the last 30 years and I think Harvey was amazing in the role. He brought out aspects that I had never seen and made the show fresh for me.

Style- I hope you enjoy the show. I did.

By the - wishihadatony - how old are you - 13?
Updated On: 4/16/05 at 12:56 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 1:11pm

I saw Harvey in Fiddler in January, and I loved him. His tones were actually pleasant, his comic moments spot on, his dramatic moments touching, and the overall flavor of his performance was passionate. I loved Andrea Martin too, and they worked very well together. Updated On: 4/16/05 at 01:11 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 1:38pm

I thought Harvey was wonderful. So he doesn't have a beautiful voice - did Zero Mostel? Does Nathan Lane? We could make a list of people with "okay" voices who have won Tonys, won the respect of critics and audiences...acting is acting. Singing is secondary.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 1:38pm

" It DID NOT cloud the professional reviewers opinion of his performance."

Not sure what reviews you read WISHIHADATONY, but all but two critics were actually VERY positive about his performance (some even raved -- as I did). Go back and check:



http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=505589

Updated On: 4/16/05 at 01:38 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 1:59pm

WISHIHADATONY,
Are you again posting a review about something you have not seen? Just curious. It seems to be a nasty habit with you.

( oh and yes; Harvey for the most part got positive reviews )

Updated On: 4/16/05 at 01:59 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 2:27pm

Harvey is wonderful in the show. Very charming.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 2:30pm

I agree. I am even thinking of taking it in again.

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 5:21pm

a person calling himself WISHIHADATONY wrote "but even those close to Harvey know that his performance is rather embarassing (ASK Marc Shaiman--the composer of HAIRSPRAY and a regular user of this Board to PM you about Harvey in FIDDLER--sorry, but I suspect Mr. Shaiman will not say the positive things you are hoping to hear about Fierstein's performance)"

uh, what the **** are you talking about? I loved Harvey in FIDDLER, I hate the term "stunt" casting, and if you really WISHYOUHADATONY, you would learn it is creepy to try to put words in peoples mouth, to get your "facts" straight, and to learn and practice your craft and let your output be the way to make any point you may have, however disrespectful.

Meanwhile, everyone should see FIDDLER every night of the week to hear one of the greatest scores ever written. And book!!


Updated On: 4/16/05 at 05:21 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 5:36pm

Completely agree, Marc. A classic book, score and overall show, especially with Harvey's warm, sublime performance as Tevye. Thanks for setting things straight (so to speak) as usual.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 5:55pm

I really enjoyed Harvey in Fiddler. I thought he was funny and warm and had infinitely more personality than Molina.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 6:08pm

Even after show working the show for so long, Fiddler still remains one of my favorites and this production, with Harvey in the lead is incredible. It was such a joy, I felt I was wathching the show for the first time. The level of warmth, love and compassion he brings to the role is amazing. I agree with everyone - if you haven't seen Mr. Fierstein in this show - do yourself a favor and buy a ticket.



Updated On: 4/16/05 at 06:08 PM

[Phantom2]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 6:21pm

Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov...

[DAME]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 7:49pm

As I said before; It is definitely worth seeing. And Harvey is wonderful in it.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 9:26pm

WISHIHADATONY,
I guess you have been revealed as the BWW residnt liar! Shame on you.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 9:37pm

I loved Harvey. I thought his portrayal of Tevye was wonderful. I personally think the book is strong enough that most actors playing the part will be amazing, but I think Harvey added a lot to the role. I really believed that he loved his daughters and you could see the pain when they leave him.

[sanda]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 10:16pm

I watched Mr.Harvey's Tevey and dislike his performance at all. On the contrary, I love Mr.Molina and dispise broadway.com's review. broadway.com's review about Harvey's performance is the most shameless, double standard reveiw I ever read.

First I must say Mr.Harvey's voice simply is not in the range of the song. I did not ask he sang the songs as beautiful as Topol, Mr.Molina cannot either. But Mr.Molina can hit the notes while Mr.Harvey cannot. It is a big distraction for me to appreciate the show.

Second I did not think Mr.Harvey's performance being gay at all. However, after comparing with Mr.Molina, I finally realized what was missing in Mr.Harvey's performance. Yes, he tried to be warm and funny, but he lacked the essential element of Tevye which Mr.Molina though being criticized as cold (I don't agree at all) grasped it perfectly, the figure of a father. Mr.Molina made me feel a true, lovely father, even though he is poor, full of trouble and a little stubborn. Mr.Harvey cannot make me feel this.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 10:24pm

Molina's Tevye was cold as ice, distant, and reserved. Fierstein's Tevye was warm, funny, and loving.

[sanda]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 10:29pm

Molina is not Topol. Topol is warm, funny and lovely. Molina is not needed to be Topol-like. Molina's Tevye is Molina's Tevye, conservative, serious, yet still full of love. A real father.

Havey tried hard to be warm, funny and lovely. However, he tried too hard...

[Corine2]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 11:05pm

Harvey is great in everything he does.
I loved him in Fiddler, went the second night.
The man is a talented actor. He is exceptional in Fiddler.
He might not have the voice of Brent Barrett, but he fits the part. I found his warmth and clever intellect an asset in Fiddler.
Also, Gerard can't call it a Fiddler and no Jew anymore.
Loved Harvey.
I have never seen anything bad with Harvey.
I do have to say, my favorite part is "EDNA"
His Edna is DIVINE.
He is also one of the funniest men on the planet. He is a wonderful awards show host.
The hostess with the mostest.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/16/05 at 11:08pm

"I have never seen anything bad with Harvey."

You must have missed SAFE SEX then.