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Fiddler on the Roof on Tour
In Broadway terms, Fiddler on the Roof is a tradition unto itself. The much-loved story of Tevye the milkman's struggle to reconcile old Jewish ways with the modern world opened on Broadway in 1964 and held the record for longest-running musical — with 3,242 performances until it closed in 1970 — for nearly 10 years. The blockbuster won nine Tony Awards — including best musical, direction, and choreography — and has been revived on Broadway five times.
Producer Harold Prince hired director-choreographer Jerome Robbins to bring Sholom Aleichem's turn-of-the-19th-century Yiddish tales of life in the Anatevka shtetl, where existence is "as precarious as a fiddler on the roof," to the stage. Jerry Bock's music and Sheldon Harnick's lyrics illuminated the fading world of East European Jewry, while Joseph Stein's book brought a humorous taste of Jewish comedy's borscht belt. Painter Marc Chagall's blend of Jewish traditionalism and artistic modernism inspired the show's memorable look. Zero Mostel played Tevye, and Beatrice Arthur, of Maude television fame, portrayed Yente the matchmaker.
The most recent revival arrived in 2015, when director Bartlett Sher enhanced the show's authenticity with the help of Israeli-born choreographer Hofesh Shechter. The New York Times praised the new production as "superb" while noting how it recaptured the foot-stomping, hand-waving energy of the original.
Sher's revival, now on tour with Yehezkel Lazarov as Tevye and Maite Uzal as his wife Golde, is delighting audiences with celebratory songs like "Tradition," "If I Were a Rich Man," and "To Life (L'Chaim)," as well as beautiful melodies of love and loss such as "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Far From the Home I Love."
As part of a trend that began with The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof fans are dressing up as Anatevkans and belting out tunes during screenings of the show's 1971 film adaptation. Their participatory zeal reflects the devotion the musical has inspired and the power of its music.
"What can we do?" asks Tevye of Golde during a moment of doubt. "It's a new world." One solution is to return to the source for cultural renewal. We may not experience the same problems as shtetl Jews in 1905 did, but Fiddler on the Roof assures us that almost any difficulty can be surmounted with great music and exuberant dancing.
My wife had never seen her favorite musical on stage before and when I heard that Topol was touring, I just had to get tickets. At 74, Topol still has a strong voice, moves on the stage and lets his engaging humor shine through Tevye. Seeing him in this roll on stage, 38 years after he made Tevye his own in the film adaptation, was an awesome experience.
Yowza! Topol's voice is as strong as ever. He's not as mobile as he once was but the comedic timing is perfect and the mannerisms are the same. The rest of the company, as well, is well worth the admission. Excellent, excellent program.
The show was spectacular! We loved every piece of music and the acting was superb!
Tolop exceeded all expectations in his final run as Tevye. What a wonderful show.
I took my kids to the show because I wanted them to see it. I have seen it twice before, last time in 1977. I forgot what a perfect show it is, with great musical numbers. But Topol really put the icing on the cake. He has a unique voice and he knows how to use it. Very good for laughs, very good for drama. Great show.
Fiddler on the Roof was fabulous. Topol was terrific. The orchestra, the music, the actors, the organization of it all - splendid. The Boston Opera House was a perfect setting for the show. The Dress Circle seats were just the right distance from the stage for the 3 generations in my family that attended. The parking in the garage was convenient and only $12. compared to the across the street parking that was $25. Cashier payment was easy.
Loved seeing Topol. He forgot a line here and there, but it wouldn't be too noticeable except to those intimately familiar with Fiddler. He stole the show more than I remember, with gestures and so forth that had the audience in stitches. Seeing this show live is so different than seeing the movie version. I felt like they downplayed the whole "Chava" bit more than they did 20-30 years ago. Has the culture changed that much that they felt it was necessary to downplay the religious & cultural differences between Russian Jews & Christians? If you know that history it's completely understandable why Tevye would consider her "dead," but it felt like the play was making apologies for itself. Music was unforgettable, scenery amazing, spotlights a bit distracting at times... but overall a really great performance from everyone. Didn't like "Golde's" voice. Wonder if she was singing a bit harshly on purpose (to emulate a more mature woman?)?? The girls all had fantastic voices, only allowed to shine every once in a while but absolutely fantastic, as did "Fyedka." The performance was wonderful, thanks for the experience.
Fantastic show with Topol hitting every line with exquisite delivery! At 73 he still performs with energy, humor and a full range of emotion. The entire cast was fantastic, but without a doubt Topol stole the show. This is said to be his farewell tour so make sure you see it while you can!
It was an awesome rendition of the movie. For a complex story line, it was extremely well choreographed. The ambiance in BOH was great as always, acting was superb, music was captivating, and of course, Topol was simply GREAT! I highly recommend watching this show. Just make sure to take some water/drinks with you, as the show length is almost 3 hours and the interval is about 2 hours into the show...
My husband and I LOVED seeing Topol in Fiddler on the Roof. At the age of 74, he still has a beautiful, rich voice. The story is as wonderful now as it was 30 years ago. My husband is still singing the songs after a week.
The story, of course, is very rich, subtly laying out a very painful history of the Jews in late 19th century Russia. I saw Topol on Broadway when he first took over from Zero Mostel, and I was a young girl. Saturday, I brought my granddaughter, who was about the age I was when I first saw Fiddler, and it was, indeed, magical.
A spectacular performance of a classic show. Topol's style was very different from the Zero Mostel recording I am used to...what a character!
Topol and entire cast enjoyable every minute! Excellent singing, dancing, stage. Timing of comedy perfect
I loved this musical! Topol is AMAZING! If you have the chance to see this before he retires I would highly recommend it!
Fiddler on the Roof, in it's current incarnation is excellent! Seeing Topol one last time gives the song "Tradition" even greater meaning. Nothing like it, the real thing! Not to be missed
Topol and the rest of the cast were incredible! What a fantastic show, they brought every character to life and there wasn't a moment that was boring. This was an unforgettable evening that I am sure will replay in my mind as one of the great memories of all time. I felt as if the cast were performing the show just for our benefit! I took my twenty year old daughter with me and she loved the show as much as I did. I wish I could of told the cast in person how much we enjoyed this show.
Fiddler on the Roof was excellent. Topol was amazing.
I would highly recommend the show. It was highly entertaining.
This is one of the best plays I have attended. It was an honor to see Topol perform in the play prior to his retirement. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire cast. Topol was witty, funny and entertaining, and his voice is still amazing!
I never thought I'd see Fiddler on stage because I didn't want to see Tevye played by anyone other than Topol. After seeing him in the movie, he would've been impossible to top. I cannot believe I got the chance to see him live, and he was incredible. Topol IS Tevye. There is no other like him. I must say that he was the reason I went, but the whole cast was equally impressive. Seeing this on stage was a dream come true. What a great production by all involved, cast, crew, musicians. It was flawless.