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| The cast of Fiddler in Yiddish. Photo: Matthew Murphy |
Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish)
Music by Jerry BockLyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Joseph Stein, based on stories by Sholem Aleichem
Yiddish translation by Shraga Friedman
Musical Staging and new Choreography by Staś Kmieć
Musical Direction by Zalmen Mlotek
Stage 42
By Lauren Yarger
A Yiddish translation of the much-loved musical telling the struggles of Tevye the milkman (a marvelous Steven Skybell) and his family in Tsarist Russia has moved to a new home at Off-Broadway's Stage and it probably is the best production of the musical you ever will see.
Fiddler, you may ask? How can it be that different from the other 100 versions we have seen and which have been presented on thousands of stages since the original production, with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, took Broadway by storm in 1964? I'll tell you. It only takes a few moments to recognize it as the quintessential version of this musical you ever will experience. It's almost perfect in every way and feels like it's the version of this classic we have been waiting to see-- much like David Cromer's revival of Our Town became the standard against which any other productions now will be measured.
Yiddish, you may ask? Yes, this musical, expertly directed by Joel Grey, is presented in Yiddish, with English and Russian supertitles projected on Beowulf Boritt's parchment backdrop. Most of us know the story pretty much by heart: Tevya struggles to uphold the traditions that have kept survival an option for his family and their little village of Anatevka. And most of us can sing the familiar tunes like "Matchmaker," "Sunrise Sunset," "Do You Love Me?," "and "If I Were a Rich Man" by heart, so the translations of Shraga Friedman's adaptation aren't needed to follow the story as much as to provide reference. It's also fun to observe at times how details vary from the traditional version: the dispute in tradition is over whether a she-goat or a he-goat had been delivered, not a horse or mule, for example. It's fascinating -- and still one of the best opening numbers of a Broadway musical ever staged. Staś Kmieć, who provides musical staging and new choreography, remains faithful to Jerome Robbins's original and iconic choreography.
Beowulf's set is minimal, yet descriptive in that the parchment panels forming the backdrop to daily life bear the word "Torah." The biggest set change occurs when the parchment is torn -- a visual image of a way of life being torn apart as Russian officials begin targeting Jews for deportation. This musical is personal and we all feel the wound.
For more, listen to the review here.
For more information, click here.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:
-- No content notes. Do your self a favor and see this one. It's as near-perfect a Fiddler as you'll see. I would go back again and I don't say that about every show.
Yiddish, you may ask? Yes, this musical, expertly directed by Joel Grey, is presented in Yiddish, with English and Russian supertitles projected on Beowulf Boritt's parchment backdrop. Most of us know the story pretty much by heart: Tevya struggles to uphold the traditions that have kept survival an option for his family and their little village of Anatevka. And most of us can sing the familiar tunes like "Matchmaker," "Sunrise Sunset," "Do You Love Me?," "and "If I Were a Rich Man" by heart, so the translations of Shraga Friedman's adaptation aren't needed to follow the story as much as to provide reference. It's also fun to observe at times how details vary from the traditional version: the dispute in tradition is over whether a she-goat or a he-goat had been delivered, not a horse or mule, for example. It's fascinating -- and still one of the best opening numbers of a Broadway musical ever staged. Staś Kmieć, who provides musical staging and new choreography, remains faithful to Jerome Robbins's original and iconic choreography.
Beowulf's set is minimal, yet descriptive in that the parchment panels forming the backdrop to daily life bear the word "Torah." The biggest set change occurs when the parchment is torn -- a visual image of a way of life being torn apart as Russian officials begin targeting Jews for deportation. This musical is personal and we all feel the wound.
For more, listen to the review here.
For more information, click here.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:
-- No content notes. Do your self a favor and see this one. It's as near-perfect a Fiddler as you'll see. I would go back again and I don't say that about every show.
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