2005 - Fiddler on the Roof

NODA Review

Director & Choreographer: Cathy Court
Musical Director: David Cawdell.

With an opening that went straight from the on stage Fiddler into “Tradition” and an introduction of the characters, the menu was impressively set for the now familiar tale, in which the challenges and warmth of family life and especially its humour are vital to its telling. These facets were well delivered through the many characters, from Yente, Lazar Woolf, Motel, Perchick, the daughters, the Rabbi and all those others in illuminating the community of Anatevka, with its strict traditions and its struggle with the awareness and reality of change. Golde came across very well indeed. She ran the house, the family, and with no back answers please! Tevye might possibly have caused the M.D. an occasional tremor, but his character highlighted that will to survive (and get his way), amongst confusion, change and tradition, all with an overlay of humour delivered to perfection. If the portrayals of Golde and Tevye are right, then the expression of feeling in their duet “Do you Love me?” has to bring a tear to the eye, and this did. Ensemble work was pleasing with a successful bottle dance and a very impressive chorus of doom in a scary (to Golde) nightmare scene!. The orchestra stayed within the bounds to deliver some nice sounds and to let us hear the words. Costume, set and lighting all helped to make this into a very good performance that above all came across to me with a rich air of warmth.

Review by John Warburton