In defense of Harvey...

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:09am

I have noticed a lot of bashing of Harvey’s performance in Fiddler on the Roof on this board. While I am aware that people are entitled to their opinions I just want make it known that A LOT of people really enjoyed his work as Tevye, myself included. He gives a passionate, complex, funny, touching, and dare I say, finely sung performance. While Fierstein will never be know as a singer, I though his tones were quite pleasant, and never once thought he was out of place. Fierstein brings a much needed flavor to this odd interpretation of this classic show. He got good reviews. I would just encourage anyone who has been influnced by the negativity surrounding his performance to take a look for themselves. You might just like what you see and hear.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:11am

Are you kidding me? I loved him as Tevye! I thought he was a hell of a lot better than Mr. Molina. I thought Harvey's Tevye was real and I liked that.

[nycity26]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:14am

I saw him, and thought that he was great. The girls playing his daughters were wonderful, as well.

I thought that some of the other supporting players were a bit bland, though. If there were any weakness in the show, I'd point to the supporting cast as opposed to Harvey.

He brought a lot of life and humor to the role.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:16am

I loved Harvey as Tevye and hated Molina in the role.

[Corine2]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:26am

I loved Harvey in Fiddler. I adore that man.
He is talented with a capital T.
I am even jealous of Boris. At least he got to talk to the Divine one.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:32am

I can't comment on his performance in Fiddler since I didn't see it -- but Tevye IS a singing role with a NUMBER of major songs in the show. I know enough about him to know he's not a singer. Period. I would not pay the money to see him in the role.

This is not to detract from him as an actor or a playwright - I'm simply commenting on the singing.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:35am

Why do people keep saying that Tevye is a "singing role"?

It was never a role that a "singer" was hired to do. While he has many songs, the majority are "talk/sung". One only needs to be a passable singer to get by. Tevye really calls for a great actor.

Mostel originated the role, and though I enjoy him, his voice isn't what he's famous for.
Updated On: 7/8/05 at 11:35 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:39am

I can't help to laugh - but Bobby, you are ususally the one to go knocking Christina's voice in Charity. That's not really a role for a singer either..

Anyway - I'm sure Harvey isn't that bad in Fiddler.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:42am

Actually, Sweet Charity does require a good singer, or at least one better than Applegate. Don't compare Harvey, who's been in the theatre forever with the fresh off the boat Applegate.

Gwen Verdon is not the "awful singer" everyone claims her to be. She was actually at her vocal best in Charity.

Applegate talk/sung half the score when I saw her.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:47am

Tevye's not a singing role? If I Were a Rich Man is NOT talk sung. Chavalah is a very tender little song - that's the song I'd MOST be afraid to hear that grating growl attempt to do.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 11:54am

It's not a role built for a singer. Yes, there is singing, but it is minimal. It was written for Mostel, who was had a passable voice. I have never seen the show with anyone who I would consider a vocalist, and it worked every time.

[jim coleman]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 12:08pm

I totally agree with you, Bobby. It was not written for a "singer". It was written for a great actor. Look at the actors who have played it with any success;
Zero Mostel
Paul Lipson
Herschel Bernardi
Luther Adler
Topol

I have seen it cast 2 times with a singer; Robert Merrill, and Jan Peerce, both opera singers, not actors, and it was not good.
Granted, if there was a great singer and a great actor it would be ideal, but that rarely happens, and in this show, which is close to 3 hours long, you need an actor first. He is never off the stage. And you are right, it was written for Zero Mostel, who was never known primarily as a singer, but a fine actor.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 12:12pm

It's like Henry Higgins. Would you prefer he was a good actor or a good singer?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 12:38pm

Bobby, if I am not mistaken most of the negative Harvey comments came out about the time it was announced he was going into the show, BEFORE he actually went on. People were posting things about "How horrible" he would be, and "What are they thinking..." But I think Harvey surprised everyone.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 1:17pm

For comic casting I did put Harvey recently, but I was only kidding. I heard great things about him. The only problem I have with him is he is a diva, and dont give me the whole "their job is to put on a show.." etc etc. He isn't appreciative at the stage door at all and wont even make eye contact with you. That's th eonly problem I have with him. I think he rubbed off on Shoshana, she WAS nice but now shes a diva and they went to the tony's together so she gets easily influenced.

[sanda]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 2:58pm

This has been discussed many times and I am tired.

Harvey's Tevye is not great. The best I can say is so so. The thing annoys me is not his medicore performance but the rave he did not deserve.
Updated On: 7/10/05 at 02:58 PM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:03pm

I saw the show on Tuesday and was amazed by Harvey's performance. Amazed that whoever is in charge of casting the show had the nerve to cast him in that part. Harvey is a good actor but he brought a touch of camp to Tevye which is wholly inappropriate for the production, especially given the fact that the show is humourless at best.

As for his singing, don't get me started. It was horrible. No matter how good an actor he is, you still need to be able to sing. And Harvey cannot sing. I'm not a fan of statements like the one I'm about to make, but this situation calls for it: anyone who says Harvey can sing is obviously trying to jump onto some theatre worship bandwagon and is suffering a serious case of delusion. Just because he has some Tonys and is a well-respected actor, that does not mean you have to view his every grunt in a state of retarded beatification.

It's a case of the Emperor's new clothes, I'm afraid.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:07pm

Gwen Verdon is not the "awful singer" everyone claims her to be. She was actually at her vocal best in Charity

--- False. VERY false. Verdon suffered some severe vocal problems during Charity. She had a feather wrapped around her vocal chords, and it weakened her voice A LOT. The same thing happened again during CHICAGO.

Verdon's best was her earlier shows. She was in fine vocal shape before Charity. Then Charity happened - and her voice took a turn for the worse.
Updated On: 7/8/05 at 05:07 PM

[keggss23]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:09pm

Bobby - I agree. Tevye is not really a singing role. It is mostly talk singing and character singing. Tevye requires a great actor.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:14pm

That's your opinion, for what it's worth, jczelyph. Others have a different opinion. Whether someone can or cannot sing is a subjective opinion, not an objective one that you somehow are the judge of and it's childish of you to castigate those who disagree with you. Fierstein has a character voice that many of us found worked well for this particular character. You disagree. Fine. That doesn't mean that you're right (or that we are, either).

You don't like his voice. Fine. After hearing it for for the past 20 years, I happen to like it and found him surprisingly musical with more range and better pitch than I would have ever thought.

The totality of his performance -- acting singing, dancing -- was quite effective to me (and many others, including several critics). He didn't seem camp at all the night I saw him and I completely believed him to be the loving father of his children. His "If I Were A Rich Man" was fresh, clever and hysterical and his "Chavalah" heart-breaking. I've seen several other Tevyes over the years (including Mostel and Bernardi) and found Fierstein's interpretation to be first rate.

Updated On: 7/8/05 at 05:14 PM

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:17pm

jczelyph -- thank you for calling a spade a spade here. I always wondered if there was something wrong with my ears - that people actually cast him in SINGING roles. I'm telling you, I can't even listen to his tracks on Hairspray because his voice grates so much. I saw Bruce Villanch in it - not that he's the best singer, but at least he doesn't sound like he's smoking 17 cigarettes WHILE singing.

And how did we get Gwen Verdon in here? Comparing her to Harvey is like -- like -- comparing Al Pacino to Pauly Shore.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:27pm

The schoolmistress has cracked her whip and spoken. I do delight in your sour and cool demeanour, Margo. You strike me as a contender for the 'Miss Havisham Incarnate' award.

Anyway, my opinion is worth as much as everyone else's (at least). I do not agree that whether or not Harvey can sing is subjective. At the very least, the quality of his voice is skewed to such an extreme pole of whatever scale we use to judge voice, as to render it almost an objective fact.

"more range and better pitch than I would have ever thought"
You obviously went in expecting atrocious pitch and a range of a two or three notes.

And don't get me started on his "dancing". In fact, I hadn't considered his dance skill before you mentioned it. I think that might be because I didn't really think of his rhythmless wobbling as dance, but now, I have broadened my ideas of what dance is. I expect that his rhythmless flouncing was not very good in the grand scheme of rhythmless movement appraisal though.

Updated On: 7/8/05 at 05:27 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:34pm

"anyone who says Harvey can sing is obviously trying to jump onto some theatre worship bandwagon and is suffering a serious case of delusion. "

You are free to have any opinion you wish. But, by insulting those who disagree with your opinion, you have crossed a line into immature name-calling, thus rendering whatever other opinions you may have suspect. Mature adults have the ability disagree without feeling the need to resort to personal attack. Apparently you are incapable of that.

[justme2]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:35pm

HAHAHAHA!

Bobbybuddy, who grouses about Applegate's singing voice in Charity constantly, now turns against someone who DARES to do the same complaining about Harvey??

The only difference? Bobbybuddy is apparently a fan of Harvey.

How hypocritical. Neither Tevye or Charity call for a stunning singer; but it's ok to knock Applegate to hell and back. Just not someone that Bobbybuddy likes.

EDIT: Lijay beat me to it, as well as jczelph!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/8/05 at 5:39pm

Charity also calls for a virtuoso dancer -- Applegate is not that either.