My Fiddler on the roof review

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 10:01am

For some reason my review will not show up on the fiddler thread so I'll just post it here as I know some were curious.

 

I saw the show yesterday and here is my review:

 

As someone who has loved Fiddler for years, I was incredibly disturbed when they decided to bring the show back to Broadway. What more could they possibly suck of out of this wonderful show?  After hearing the reactions from others I decided to book my ticket and see for myself if there is any reason for this show to be back. 

 

I had just watched the film a few days before seeing the revival because I wanted to refresh my memory of Fiddler and I completely forgot how amazing the film is. 

 

But back to the revival. Danny is a very endearing Tevye. As others have mentioned he's definitely playing Tevye from a different place and it pays off in spades. The love for his daughters, his heartbreak when they leave him. Every thing he does is very calculated (in a good way) and he steals the show. I'm not sure how he will rank up with the Hamilton guys but this could definitely be his win.

 

Jessica Hecht was remarkable as Golde. Golde has the most challenging part in the show. Juggling between showing absolute motherly love for her daughters and at the same time showing a mild distaste for Tevye. She balances the part beautifully and her character arc is much more exciting in this show than the other Goldes  I have seen before. By the end of the show she's a completely different character and to be able to watch her arc  was a treat

 

The rest of the cast was fine. No one else really stood out besides Danny and Jessica. The others play their parts rather straightforwardly like we have seen dozens of times.

 

The 3 daughters had very good chemistry. Matchmaker was very different in this production. It was a bit slowed down and it was more of a grim interpretation. I liked it but at the same time, there's such an energy to the song that I thought was lacking. The song is so great and while I think the song services the actors better, I don't think the actors serviced the song. 

 

Danny's  If I were a rich man surprisingly lived up to my anticipation. He had his back to the audience a few times but man was his amazing to watch. It sounded like they beefed up the orchestra on it also, which i liked.

 

Now let's go on to the physical production. Many have said they didn't like the set and honestly, i can't decide. The set works very well, I think I just prefer the 2004 revival set instead. While the set is somewhat a disappointment, what Sher does with it is Amazing. "Tradition" gave me chills with how the actors entered. 

 

The framing device worked wonders for  me and  I think it did pay off in a big way  but I'll explain why later.

 

All I'm going to say about the stagehand thing is DAMN. Get it together people.

Don't get me wrong, Sher directed this show amazingly well, but what the hell is with the stagehands?

 

Honestly, this might be my favorite direction from Sher. His work on South Pacific and King and I are great but he really took a lot of chances with this production to try and make it fresh and not seem like a relic. I don't think all of the creative direction paid off with this show, but I definitely respect what he was aiming for. It's a very ambitious production.A little Messy...but ambitious. And I like that. Theatre doesn't have to be perfect. But it has to touch you. And this show did many times in many ways

 

As I was saying in the beginning, I struggled to understand why we need this production now. Why now? Why on God's green earth would we ever need another Fiddler revival. And then it hit me during Anatevka.

 

In a time where the world is debating on whether refugees should be able to come into our country, we forget that Fiddler is not just art. It's also life. People right now are living the lives of the characters onstage. Everyone  hesitant on letting refugees into our country needs to see Fiddler. Donald Trump needs to see Fiddler. The whole damn world needs to see Fiddler. The world needs to see this revival. 

 

It would be wonderful if this show didn't speak to anyone anymore because then that would mean everyone in the world would get their sh*t together and prejudice and racism would be gone. But that probably won't happen anytime soon. So I welcome a Fiddler revival anytime it wants because truth be told, We need Fiddler in our world right now. We need it a lot more than it needs us.

 

 

Updated On: 11/29/15 at 10:01 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 10:03am

Every time a new page needs to be created (after 25 posts), someone else has to post to goose the BWW software to create a new page, for some reason. Nothing new.

 

Don't get me wrong, though. It is broken. But it has been happening since the new update.

Updated On: 11/29/15 at 10:03 AM

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 10:07am

Hamilton22, Your review does show up on the other thread.  You had to hit the reply key to see it. It was a well written review, that expressed your opinion of the show.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 10:22am

Ah good to know. thank you

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 12:04pm

Great review, Hamilton.  Thanks for sharing.

I'm looking forward to seeing this.

Not sure what to make of the stagehand thing. I guess I will have to see it and see how it plays out.  I'm mixed on that.  I've seen shows where they did something similar, and it really didn't bother me all that much.

But I do prefer it when the actors themselves do it, if possible.   Much more effective.

How did the Dream sequence with Fruma Sarah play out for you personally?  Some are commenting on stagehands in that scene.

[OMG2]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:02pm

You said it well. His opinion. Everyone has one.

[OMG2]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:02pm

You said it well. His opinion. Everyone has one.

[hork]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:20pm

OMG, why do you post everything twice?

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:27pm

hork said: "OMG, why do you post everything twice?"

 

To be fair, sometimes it is four times.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:30pm

Ha....Good one!

[ArtMan]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 1:30pm

Double post. But it deserves a second LOL

Updated On: 11/29/15 at 01:30 PM

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 5:14pm

"Great review, Hamilton.  Thanks for sharing.

I'm looking forward to seeing this.

Not sure what to make of the stagehand thing. I guess I will have to see it and see how it plays out.  I'm mixed on that.  I've seen shows where they did something similar, and it really didn't bother me all that much.

But I do prefer it when the actors themselves do it, if possible.   Much more effective.

How did the Dream sequence with Fruma Sarah play out for you personally?  Some are commenting on stagehands in that scene."

 

No problem theatreguy. Thank you for the nice comments.

Regarding the stagehand stuff, it doesn't ruin the show or anything.  I just don't understand why Sher hasn't done anything about it. Enough people must have told him it doesn't look good by now.

The Fruma Sarah scene would be very cool if the stagehand wasn't so obviously seen. The number itself is fun and kind of creative. I  loved that moment in the show and it didn't disappoint (besides the stagehand). 

.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 11/29/15 at 8:00pm

Is it possible that there's some kind of automation or technical element that still hasn't been worked out that's causing the stage hands to be so visible?  Though I haven't seen this production yet, the very idea of very visible stagehands that are drawing the attention of the audience is the polar opposite of most Bartlett Sher productions.  Or really, any broadway production.  I would think that if this is something that stage hands absolutely have to do for whatever reason, they'd try to costume them or something.  I know POTO has costumed stagehands (and I'm sure other productions as well), so it's not totally unheard of.

 

Hamilton22 said: ""Great review, Hamilton.  Thanks for sharing.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this.

 

Not sure what to make of the stagehand thing. I guess I will have to see it and see how it plays out.  I'm mixed on that.  I've seen shows where they did something similar, and it really didn't bother me all that much.

 

But I do prefer it when the actors themselves do it, if possible.   Much more effective.

 

How did the Dream sequence with Fruma Sarah play out for you personally?  Some are commenting on stagehands in that scene."

 

 

 

No problem theatreguy. Thank you for the nice comments.

 

Regarding the stagehand stuff, it doesn't ruin the show or anything.  I just don't understand why Sher hasn't done anything about it. Enough people must have told him it doesn't look good by now.

 

The Fruma Sarah scene would be very cool if the stagehand wasn't so obviously seen. The number itself is fun and kind of creative. I  loved that moment in the show and it didn't disappoint (besides the stagehand). 

 

.

 

"

 

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 9:39am

I honestly don't think it's a technical malfunction since it would be a very easy problem to fix. I'm still scratching my head over the flying houses also. 

[SNAFU]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 10:01am

Could it be a Marc Chagall homage? Gravity doesn't really have an influence in most of his paintings.

 

ETA: His Fiddlers also fly. Look at his paintings.

 

Updated On: 11/30/15 at 10:01 AM

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 10:54am

That's an interesting idea, Snafu. but the majority of the audience has never seen those paintings, so I'm not sure why Sher would think that idea would translate well onstage. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 11:04am

So the creative team should limit themselves to only presenting what the majority of audience members will immediately understand?! Blech...

 

That's like voting for a president you'd like to have a beer with... rather than picking someone better and smarter than you...

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 11:08am

If an audience doesn't understand why there are floating set pieces and it's distracting them from enjoying the show (which apparently is happening ), then  the creative team should find a way to explain why the sets are there, or find another way to honor the paintings. 

 

This is previews, haterobics. Not everything has to work and just because something doesn't work does not mean the creative team is "limiting themselves" if they happen to take something out of the show. Oy.

.

.

Updated On: 11/30/15 at 11:08 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 11:18am

Hamilton22 said: "If an audience doesn't understand why there are floating set pieces and it's distracting them from enjoying the show (which apparently is happening )."

 

The reaction in the room, and what is discussed on BWW aren't always in alignment...

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 11:27am

That's for sure. I guess we will  see by opening night if Sher changes things up a bit.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 2:03pm

I'm going tomorrow. Now I am really curious...

[indytallguy]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 3:11pm

haterobics said: "The reaction in the room, and what is discussed on BWW aren't always in alignment..."

 

You mean the room where it happens? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Updated On: 11/30/15 at 03:11 PM

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 12:43am

i like what you did there Indy

I agree, the Fruma Sara seen is inventive, artistic and downright creepy - and it's a highlight of the show - I still can't fathom why the set design is "minimalistic" and I had to stage hands cary crappy plants and whatnot

I was underwhelmed by the First Act of the show - but Tradition did give me chills...

Danny was excellent but this production lacked for me - I do hope it succeeds and I just caught it at an off preview night .  Also, a preview at 8:30pm for a 2hr First Act was real rough 

[DAME]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 1:07am

Yikes Vernon.  You were there that Frday night.  First act I believe was 1:40 by the second weekend.  I didn't time it or anything .  That's just what the ushers were telling people as they entered the theater and directed Patrons to the bathrooms.  I honestly don't think any amount of previews is going to change your opinion of this production.  Unless they change the entire set during previews.  Has that ever happened before?  Has a entire set design ever been changed during previews?