The US national tour of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof arrived in Milwaukee at the mid-point of the tour’s run. The cast offered a zesty, fresh-looking take at the familiar tale of Tevye, a poor milkman; Golde, his wife; and their five daughters. The show’s exuberant singing and newly designed dancing frame the musical’s quieter moments in a perfectly pitched presentation. Fiddler returned to Broadway in 2015 for its 51st anniversary, under the direction of Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher. That successful revival serves as the basis for this current tour, starring Israeli film and TV star Yehezkel Lazarov as Tevye. The tour features brilliant musical supervision by Ted Sperling and the familiar tunes come across with refreshed power. As compelling as the book may be, what one typically recalls from an evening at Fiddler are the many wonderful Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick songs such as “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Tradition.”
This reviewer doesn’t recall whether there are a few more utterances of “tradition” in this musical than in the original, but each one gets its own special inflection by Lazarov as Tevye. He uses the word as a shield each time his eldest three daughters beg him to marry for love, a completely untraditional practice in their home of rural Anatevka. At first, Tevye squawks at the news, claiming “impossible!” and “unheard of.” But then he reflects on his daughter’s eyes as she gazes at her sweetheart. In most cases he gives in, favoring their happiness over his role as “papa” of the household to make such decisions.
In the first of these unions, Tevye cleverly crafts a crazy dream in which the village’s deceased residents come forth from the grave to warn Tevye and his wife against their daughter marrying anyone except the tailor (with whom she is secretly in love). The brilliant costumes worn by the dead relatives and ensemble make the dream a vivid reality for the audience as well.
Still, Tevye tries to hang onto the village’s religious and cultural “traditions” even as his daughters keep telling him that times are changing. The audience sees some of these traditions in the solemn Sabbath scene and later, in the climactic wedding scene. Lazarov brilliantly balances his old teachings with the new feelings expressed by his children. His dilemma is perfectly summed up in the beautifully expressed song, “Do You Love Me?” It is a private moment between Tevye and Golde, who at first dismisses any sort of romantic notions. As Golda, Maite Uzal demonstrates her comedic skills to make this number completely delightful. In the end, of course, the longtime couple agree that there is probably love between them.
The evening’s surprise is an especially strong rendition of one of the lesser-known songs, “Miracle of Miracles.” It is sung by the tailor Motel (Jesse Weil) after he bravely approaches Tevye about marrying his daughter, Tzeitel. Well plays the tailor as mousey in the beginning, but “Miracles” gives him new confidence. He swells with pride at exhibiting his macho side while his fiancé (Mel Wayne) watches in astonishment.
This Fiddler is a worthy successor to the original, as it’s filled with energy, heartwarming scenes (as well as a haunting one at the musical’s end), and a new energy. It’s definite worth a look during the show’s brief run.
