CHICAGO—Enthralling, spellbinding, exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable, breathtaking! There aren’t enough adjectives to describe this incredible revival of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Based on Sholem Aleichem’s stories about Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia around 1905, “Fiddler on the Roof” was initially not well received by investors who were discouraged by the show because they believed that it would only appeal to Jewish audiences.
Fortunately, Joseph Stein who wrote the book, Sheldon Harnick who wrote the lyrics, and Jerry Bock who wrote the music disagreed, believing that “Fiddler” would appeal to everyone. They were right. The story about Tevye, the milkman who tries to hold on to his traditions, his religion, and his family hit a chord with everyone around the world.
What the naysayers didn’t realize is that the show wasn’t just a tale about Jews. The clash between tradition and contemporary values, the clash between family and the outside world, and the clash between death and survival are universal, and are to be found in all religions, cultures, and societies.
The original 1964 “Fiddler” had an exuberant musical score, but it was played with such flamboyance that its tale was overwhelmed by its brash Broadway style. The Lyric Opera presentation, though, which was first directed by Barrie Kosky in 2017 at Germany’s Komische Oper Berlin, focuses much more on the emotional core of the tale and the humanity of its characters.
Violinist on a Scooter
The musical begins, not with a fiddler balancing on a rooftop, but on a young boy (Drake Wunderlich) who, sporting headphones and riding a scooter, rolls onto the Lyric stage. He arrives in front of a closet whose doors open to reveal a violin case. He takes the violin out and beings to play music when characters from within the closet spill out onto the stage, taking us back into the Jewish world of yesteryear.Among the differences between this new production and the old is the scenic design and the costuming. This time, instead of a colorful and quaint village backdrop, set designer Rufus Didwiszus has set the Jewish community in muted colors of grays and browns, and furnished it with towering used cabinets from which characters emerge in the first act, and an icy landscape of forest and snow for the second act.
In addition, the characters are dressed in drab rags which, designed by Klaus Bruns, gives one a palpable feel for the impoverished condition of their lives.
While the new incarnation of “Fiddler” emphasizes the hard reality of Jewish life in Russia, the musical’s charm, wisdom, and enchantment still come through. Here, we have the most glorious musical score embellished by terrific performances.
A courageous and witty Tevye is played to compelling perfection by Steven Skybell, whose powerful voice and passionate depth makes his character come alive on stage. We understand the importance of tradition for him when he explains that it is necessary so that “everyone knows who he is and what God expects of him.” And we appreciate his grinding poverty when he asks God “Would it destroy some grand eternal plan if I were a rich man?”
Riveting Production
There are so many more fantastic moments and performances in this riveting production. The choreography by Otto Pichler, in which dancers dressed in black sweep on stage in Russian style with bottles on their heads as they drink “To Life.” There’s the moment in which Tevye tells his wife Golde (Debbie Gravitte) about his dream and asks her “Do You Love Me?” And then there’s the scene in which Motel (Drew Redington), the poor tailor, sings about God’s miracle in gifting him his bride, Tzeitel (Lauren Marcus). But the moment that will really bring a lump to one’s throat is that in which we hear the haunting, melodic strains of “Sunrise, Sunset.”With Kimberly Grigsby masterfully conducting the terrific Lyric Orchestra, and the company of 24 actors, 40 in the chorus, and 12 dancers, this production is of a scale that a regular theater cannot match.
But the triumph of this show is not just about its epic grandeur. Rather it engages profound empathy because it is the poignant story of the people of a lost world.
As the show comes to its end, and we hear the melodic sadness of “Anatevka,” it’s difficult to hold back tears: We watch the wretched multitude thrown out of their homes and out into an unknown future in a frightening search for a new life.
A once-in-a-lifetime production, this is a show that one may never see again. If you only see one show this year, make it this heartfelt “Fiddler on the Roof.”
