On the recommendation of someone or other from work, my mother just bought two tickets to see Fiddler on the Roof when it comes to Tampa at the end of April. I’ve never seen it; I don’t really want to read the description on Wiki, as I’d like to go in without knowing all the plot details. All I know is that it has something to do with an older man and his daughters getting married. I do love musicals, though I’ve never seen a professional stage production of one. So without giving anything away, tell me…will I enjoy going to see it? What was your impression when you first saw it?
I bet you’ll enjoy it if a) you like that sort of thing, and it sounds like you do, and b) the actor playing Tevye is good (and to a lesser extent if all the other actors are good too). If you’ve never seen a professionally staged musical – well, if the show is done well, it might be really delightful. IME if it or any other musical is *not *done well, it’s worse than other kinds of bad theater, and that’s pretty bad.
I hate musicals with a passion, but I needed to see one for my theater class, so I picked this one because I knew a quarter of the cast of that production. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The whole bursting into song at inappropriate times is less jarring in Fiddler than any other musical I’ve seen.
If you love musicals, and you’ve never seen a professional stage production, then assuming that this is a competent production, you should absolutely enjoy it.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen Fiddler on stage, although I’ve seen the movie many times, know all the songs, and once performed in it as a water ballet. The songs are memorable and singable – you should come out humming at least one, and the story has a nice mix of comedy and drama. Although it’s not my favorite musical, it’s always had a special place in my heart because of the particular setting of the story and the ethnicity of the characters, but its themes are universal and the quality of the music puts it up there with the greats of its era.
Have a good time! I’m going to see Wicked in July and I’m very excited.
I saw Fiddler on the London stage when I was but a teenager, who wouldn’t have been seen dead there and was forced to go… loved it.
p.s. I am not Gay, not that its matters at all, OK, good, glad thats settled.
As others have said, a lot depends on the production. There are few things more annoying than watching a poorly done musical.
Having said that, Fiddler has good songs (and a couple of great songs), an easily followed plot, fun characters, and a nice mixture of drama and comedy. So, if it’s a professional group doing it, should be a wonderful experience.
I’ve heard of him. (It’s Chaim Topol, star of the movie/London premiere,etc.- he’s retiring. However, I’ve read negative reviews of him believe it or not- that he’s basically phoning it in these days. But, since he’s near the end, hopefully he’s got a second wind.
I envy you- I’d LOVE to see Topol in this role, but I doubt I’ll be able to unless he pulls a Bernhardt and retires again next year. It’s worth seeing just to say you saw “the man” in the role. When he first played the role he was about 30; now he’s in his 70s. Tevye is- no age is given, but I’d guess his mid 40s at the beginning (the play spans about 2 years).
Yes, see it. If it’s done well, there are few musicals that are better. I saw a touring company of it with Topol back in the Seventies and really liked it. Then my sister played Fruma Sarah (sp?) in a high school production and it rocked. Then a friend of mine played the rabbi in a community theatre production a few years ago and I realized all over again what a great show it is (surpassed only, IMHO, by 1776 and The Mikado). If I had the chance to go see it again tonight, I would.
This is one of my favorite musicals, and I’d love to see it with Topol. I grew up listening to the Broadway sound track with Zero Mostel, and I have most of the songs memorized. It also happens to be one of the shows that I have tickets to this summer put on by our local professional theater, and I’m really looking forward to it.
You guys were right, I did really enjoy it. The songs were so much fun, and everyone had beautiful singing voices. The story itself was great; I loved how Tevye got around his wife’s objections so his oldest daughter could marry the man she loved. He was such a sweet guy who had to face so many changes all at once, and for the most part, he took it in stride. It had a great amount of humor mixed in with the drama, but the ending broke my heart. Overall, I’m very glad I went.
Three days after I met the woman who later became kaylasmom, I drove her to an audition for a community theatre production of Fiddler. She had performed the role of Hodel in an all-visually-impaired production at the Foundation for the Junior Blind a few years prior, and she walked away with the same role again, this time with an otherwise all-sighted cast.
But coming back from a North Pole cruise in 1983, a few of us were standing around the engine room talking about our plans for when we hit port. I mentioned that I was going to fly to the mainland and get married. The Bull Nuke laughed and said, “You’re getting married, Brown? Man, she must be blind.”
I smiled and replied, “She is, Master Chief, but how did you know?”
He turned a glorious shade of red, and visibly shrank by about two inches.
Too bad the “way she sees/way he looks” line was cut from the movie (along with “last week you gave me two kopeks”), though I do like that Tevye baits the guy with “it was twelve years old” better than the “horse-mule” fight. And of course I hear it in Bea Arthur’s voice may she rest in peace. Right? Of course right.
(It’s Chaim Topol, star of the movie/London premiere,etc.- he’s retiring. However, I’ve read negative reviews of him believe it or not- that he’s basically phoning it in these days. But, since he’s near the end, hopefully he’s got a second wind.
Heh. Not exactly.