Jordan Fein breathes new life into classic play
In the summer of 2024 Regents Park Open Air Theatre theatre hosted a musical that would go on to be nominated for 13 Olivier Awards and would take home three of them, including best Musical Revival. Director Jordan Fein’s production of Fiddler on the Roof was a huge success and now the same production is back, writes Christopher Peacock.
Fiddler on the Roof began as an adaptation of a set of stories by Sholem Aleichem about ‘Tevye the Milkman’. Jerry Brook’s music, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and book by Joseph Stein, created a show that, from its first productions 60 years ago, with runs on Broadway, the West End and an Oscar winning film, has always been a success.
Tevye lives in a small, predominantly Jewish village in rural Ukraine. Father of five daughters, he feels powerless to change as they grow up and become modern young adults before his eyes, until a Russian pogrom drives them from their land.
Tradition and faith are the focus of the story rather than the social and political themes that could dominate. But what makes the show a continued success is that tradition and the value that it holds is universal no matter what particular tradition or faith you may have. Plus, Stein’s book has all the Jewish schtick and pessimistic humour that doesn’t age.
Adam Dannheisser as Tevye is warm and charismatic. The moments of interplay between Tevye and Raphael Papo – the literal ‘Fiddler’ – are charming. In fact, the whole ensemble is amazing; visually powerful and playful, and all the numbers and routines have great attack.
Tom Scutt’s design has a roof of wheat hanging above the village that grounds us in the Eastern European plains, and Julie Cheng’s choreography honours Jerome Robbins’ style.
Jordan Fein drew lots of praise last year for this adaptation. The ability to breathe a new vein of life and also make a mark on a classic piece of musical theatre is a tricky balance to strike. It also neatly parallels the narrative of wanting to maintain tradition in a world that is always changing. What is unlikely to change is the praise that this show’s cast and its creatives will continue to receive.
Barbican Theatre until July 19th.
Booking and full details: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/
