A great musical starts with at least one central fascinating character. There should be strong, universal issues involved and some of life’s great experiences and emotions. And, of course, a lyrical, engaging musical score which both takes you deeper into the character and farther into the plot without your even realizing it. That is the magic of musical theatre and the challenge of doing it well.
Fiddler on the Roof has every one of these ingredients. And a disclosure here – it is the musical on which I cut my Stage Manager teeth many, many years ago; so it was with nostalgic affection I headed south to Rockdale Town Hall on Friday night for the opening of Rockdale Musical Society’s latest production of Fiddler.
Eschewing the special effects professional productions can afford, director Colin Peet opted for a simple set, props rather than structures – a wise decision in light of the meagre offerings of the town hall. The use of projections to establish some places was a sound creative choice; although this method of scene setting was underused. It seemed a tentative choice and the whole production mood would have benefited from a more extensive and committed use of multimedia. When used, such as in the nightmare and village gossip scenes, it was most effective.
Under Peter Sampson’s confident musical direction the cast and orchestra rose to the occasion. It is a challenge for any MD to hold together musicians and singers under the best conditions and the town hall offers an interesting acoustic situation, which Sampson determinedly overcame.
Leading the cast of performers was Adam Scicluna as Tevye, one of the best known and beloved musical theatre characters. Vocally, Scicluna owned the role and he certainly mastered the gentle humour and strength of Tevye. However, something was a little missing in the grief of Chava’s betrayal. This penultimate trial of Tevye’s needs time for his pain to be felt by everyone. We want to go there with him. Charmaine Gibbs as Golde, brought the comic timing, vocal ability and strength necessary to the role of Tevye’s wife, the mainstay of his existence. The ensemble all gave whole heartedly to the show although unevenness of skill and ability made for some flat, unsure moments. It is a show of moments, and one moment was particularly strong. Adrian Espulso as Motel, Tzeitel’s hapless suitor grew from the shambling boy-next-door to a quietly confident young man during his rendition of Miracle of Miracles, making this brief allotted time both charming and believable.
Fiddler on the Roof is possibly more relevant today than it was in 1964. Which in some ways, is a pity. Forced evictions from homelands are just as prevalent and the world is flooded with displaced people. Millions are forced out of their own little Anatevkas because their way of life is a little different; their faith is not the faith of the more powerful. Tevye and his family and friends are a reminder that such people are just like us and that most of us live our precarious lives like a fiddler on the roof , “trying to scratch out a pleasant simple tune without breaking his neck.” …
Like all community theatres, RMS relies on the extraordinary passion, talent and free time of its members, and many a star has started their career by strutting their stuff with such companies. They are the backbone of the performing arts and should have full community support.
This is an important musical. If you have never seen it, you should. If you have seen it in the past, see it again. Some shows need a few outings in your life.
Kate Stratford – Theatre now & On The Town
