I saw Fiddler ont he Roof last night....

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 4:28pm

I had a great seat in row M orchestra and dead centre... and I loved the show despite the people around me.. ahem... Note to people - if you have three small children that scream and compete for who will sit on Daddy's knee all night don't take them to the theatre till they are older or better behaved... .. and the man next to me.. beating out the tunes loudly by smacking your hand up and down wildly on your girlfriends leg ALL NIGHT it is SO irritating... rant over...

I have a feeling that it worked so well because I was so close.. it is certainly not played to the back of the Mezz.. Alfred Molina is very naturalistic rather than being a huge stage presence and his voice is only okay.. perhaps this will turn some people off but I enjoyed him very much......

I loved the set and staging of the songs.. really beautifull to experience.. Nice to see Laura Michelle Kelly before Mary Poppins.. she wasn't a stand out but like all the girls she had a very good voice... Randy Graff was pretty spot on with her performance..

On the whole loved it and it was the best thing I saw on this trip since it is such a complete musical - great book, songs, staging and choreography of course...

Cheers, Lee xx

[bernadette88]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 4:42pm

Thanks for sharing!! I am looking forward to seeing it!:)

[JakeB]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 5:06pm

So, lee-not-really-inlondon

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/14/04 at 12:14pm

I just saw it and found it incredibly lackluster. I actually left at intermission and my friend fell asleep during the first act and walked out even before the first act ended she was so bored. She was on the aisle on the far right so she did not disturb anyone- lucky her. I actually witnessed alot of walk outs at intermission along with me.

Alfred was ok but nothing special. His voice was alright but i didn't feel he wa into the part of tevye. Randy Graff was boring and nasal and her wig was HIDEOUS! The choral numbers however, were outstanding as was the orchestra- just beautiful. Motel was embarassing in Miracle of miracles-just so goofy and campy -really fey.

The end of the first act was truly disappointing- I didn't feel anything.

The audience was one of the most obnoxious, poorly behaved that I have ever witnessed. Constant talking and getting up and going to the lobby. Opening candy and bags!

I am sorry if I sound bitter, but I had very fond memories of this show when I did it in High school and was hoping this would be phenomenal but alas it was just so-so. i obviously can't comment on the second act and if it got better but maybe someone can share...

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 2/14/04 at 1:18pm

Deena you walked out on Fiddler? oy! I'm seeing it in May. I have fond memories also.

[Corine2]

Posted: 2/14/04 at 1:47pm

I want to see it but Zero Mostel used to live in my building growing up and he raised the bar. He was such a wonderful man and i used to play with his son Josh.
OY hate to hear a bad review on Fiddler.
The last production i saw was starring my friend Jonathan Blum.
He was in High School in Maryland and he was outstanding.
Updated On: 2/14/04 at 01:47 PM

[Deena Jones2]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 5:23pm

I just felt so sad- such a classic and in such the wrong hands... anyone else see it?

[Jack42]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 5:39pm

Corine2

You used to play with Zero's son Josh? You realize he's 20 years older than you, right? How old were you two when you "played" together?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 5:48pm

And has the statute of limitations run out? Josh is 58.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 6:21pm

I quote Family Guy

Stewie: We're playing house!
Lois: But that boy is all tied up!
Stewie: ...Roman Polanski's house

[Jack42]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 6:52pm

Namo

And that was part of my point. I await Corine's response to this because you never know who is reading these boards. I would hate to think Josh checks them out from time to time and sees this post wondering who Corine is and why she's posted about him.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 7:39pm

Actually, Zero Mostel didn't "raise the bar" with his performance in FIDDLER. He tired of the role quickly and began to mimic other actors behind their backs and frequently broke character. This so upset Hal Prince that he didn't even consider renewing Mostel's contract when it expired. Instead, they rushed in Luther Adler from the National Company because they realized their simple tale of peasant lives was being demolished by Mostel's ego.

Many years later, Mostel starred in a revival of the show (obviously his astronomic salary demands were met) and he delivered a totally obnoxious performance. I recall him splattering patrons in the first few rows with "milk" during "If I Were A Rich Man" and mincing behind the actor who was playing Motel Kamzoil. How could this gentle, sweet character do such rude and vulgar things? He wasn't playing Tevye. Instead, he was showing the audience how bizarre Zero Mostel could be.

Incidentally, I could never accept a man of Mostel's girth as being a poor, starving milkman.

So, Corine, this actor is the one you feel was the quintessential Tevye? Hmmm...whenever you post your opinions I realize that the only taste you have is in your mouth.

[magruder]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 7:45pm

If I remember right, for the original Broadway production, Jerome Robbins did something with the milk containers to keep Mostel from doing that bit. Anyone remember the details of the story?

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 7:54pm

I'm enjoying hearing these Zero Mostel stories. I saw Fiddler with Herschel Bernardi, and he will lovingly remain Tevye in my mind.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 9:31pm

OK, here's my FIDDLER story.

I was living in South Florida. I went to Miami Beach to see the Reserved seat showing of the film version. Crowds were waiting outside, each patron with a reserved seat. The doors open and the crowd starts moving forward as crowds do, naturally some pushing ensues. Suddenly a Jewish woman turns to a group of Nuns and yells, "Stop pushing! [The Nuns were not.] This is OUR movie!" What?
Revenge for the success of THE SOUND OF MUSIC?

I didn't really like the film by the way.

Bulldog.

P.s. A neighbor is in the cast...the direct word is they are taking notes from Jerome Robbins, whom you know is deceased. Does that spell problems?

Updated On: 2/15/04 at 09:31 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 2/15/04 at 11:42pm

I've also seen Topol

Talk about a sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

evening!

[Dude]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 1:01am

zero didn't start "playing" with the part till well into the run. until then, he was very respected by hal and jerome. yes, later in the run he starting hamming up his part, yet he still thought of as the best to have done the role.

to each his own.

saw bikel on tour..he was great.

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 11:51am

I must agree with Dollypop! I saw Zero Mostel late in the run of FIDDLER and he was all over the place. It was a very embarassing performance! I've seen others since then who were much better, more nuanced and definitely more professioanl. And, Dollypop, when Maurice Schwartz performed Tevye in the 1930s he was portrayed as a sunken, disheveled undernourished man. You are definitely on the mark! And, shtetls in Russia never had female matchmakers!!!!! This is something that the creators of the musical made up. Such a thing was taboo, verboten, not allowed, banished, etc.

Miriam

Updated On: 2/16/04 at 11:51 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 12:13pm

I saw Mostel in the revival and he was pretty weak. But what struck me was how poor the rest of the cast was. I remeber saying to my friend that it must be in Mostel's contract that no one on stage could be better than him, so they had to really scrape the bottom of the casting pool to complete this ensemble.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 12:13pm

I believe Mostel started goofing around in the role right after he won the Tony Award that year.

[BwayLover]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 12:26pm

A little off topic.. But I must say I saw the show with Topol and I really enjoyed myself. This was when he was actually old enough to play the role, and it was certainly a thrill to see him and listen to his wonderful voice. I guess you could say I'm biased, cause we're both Israeli... But he is my favorite. (Sentimental reasons I guess)

I am looking forward to seeing what Molina does with the role.

Updated On: 2/16/04 at 12:26 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 12:31pm

It's nice to know you enjoyed YOURSELF when you saw the Topol FIDDLER, but did you enjoy the SHOW?

[BwayLover]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 12:36pm

I loved the show, yes.

Do you have to be so rude to me all the time? Just wondering.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 1:10pm

BwayLover, I resent being accused of being rude to you "all the time". That's not true and you know it. I'm only rude to you when you're posting messages.

[BwayLover]

Posted: 2/16/04 at 1:24pm

Fine. And I'll just ignore you from now on, like everyone else does. Thought you had an ounce of niceness in you after all, but I guess I was wrong.