Festival Theatre,
Edinburgh
Three stars
When Jerry Bock,
Sheldon Harnick and Joseph Stein's Russia-set musical first appeared
in 1964, the world, and America in particular, was waking up to a
tidal wave of dissent. Women were being liberated, revolution was in
the air and young people were speaking their minds, especially to
their parents. All of this is reflected in the narrative about
small-town milkman Tevye's travails in marrying his daughters off at
the turn of the century fag-end of the Czarist regime, if not always
in Craig Revel Horwood's new production for the Music & Lyrics
company in association with the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.
The first half
especially feels particularly cartoonish, as a largely young cast try
too hard to be funny where subtlety and depth are required to make
the humour really work. Things are on much surer ground with the song
and dance routines, which are delivered by a cast who play
instruments onstage, an inventive and effective touch which is fast
becoming a Music & Lyrics signature.
At the heart of the
show is Paul Michael Glaser's turn as Tevye, in a performance that's
full of warmth and generosity. It's the second half when things
really kick in, however, as Tevye squares up to just how much the
times are changing. Beyond such serious intentions, it's love that
wins out over ancient traditions and old divisions here, something
best expressed by some fine singing and playing, not least from The
Fiddler herself, played by Jennifer Douglas in an entertainment that
looks at progress, prejudice and the enforced emigration of a Jewish
community forever in exile as they set out to build a brave new
world.
The Herald, October 4th 2013
ends
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