‘Fiddler on the Roof’ at PPAC is exciting from the start
PROVIDENCE — The production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” now at the Providence Performing Arts Center, creates excitement in the very first scene.
On a starkly lighted stage, Tevye and the Jewish residents of Anatevka, Russia, perform to the show’s anthem, “Tradition.” The lighting is so bright, the scene initially looks almost black and white. The stage is filled by a cast of 33 men and women in peasant pants and swirling skirts, arms raised in unison. It’s a big group that moves as one to a score that is as stirring as it was in 1964 when it first was heard on Broadway.
This touring production of a 2015 Broadway revival pays homage to the 55-year-old original, but it is not a clone. There is new choreography and direction that emphasizes the humor in the tale, occasionally in a very broad manner. But when it counts, the cast conjures up touching emotion.
The story centers on Tevye, a hard-working milkman, father of five daughters, and a man steeped in tradition and his faith. His life has its ups and downs – he frequently bemoans the responsibilities of raising five daughters – but his love for them is unquestioned, and he is happy in his community.
His world, however, is changing. His three eldest daughters defy tradition and want to marry for love rather than in an arrangement he makes for them. Furthermore, an edict is coming that forces the Jewish community to leave the village.
That striking opening number is representative of the entire show. Visually, this “Fiddler” is gorgeous, not because of great detail but be
cause the minimal sets and props so clearly set the place and mood. The exterior of Tevye’s house, a few trees that lose blooms of one season to the bare branches of the next, are all that’s needed to establish the scene. The costumes are muted, but the silhouettes so appealing, the show could bring back peasant shirts.
Yehezkel Lazarov, an Israeli theater, film and television star, is the standout in the cast with his good timing for the funny bits and good acting in the angry or emotional parts. Maite Uzal is more one-sided as his sharptongued wife, Golde, but she finds feeling in her anguish over the family’s fate.
The emphasis on humor is entertaining – and the opening night audience was appreciative – but sometimes it stands in the way of emotional moments. For example, while Tevye’s “daughters,” played by Kelly Gabrielle Murphy, Ruthy Froch and Noa Luz Barenblat, are fine on their own, I didn’t feel much chemistry between them and their respective/ prospective husbands, largely because the guys are played so often for a laugh.
The score, however, is timeless, and the touring orchestra does it justice. Jerry Bock’s music is catchy, and Sheldon Harnick’s lyrics are witty but meaningful. “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” are recognizable even outside the show, and in this production, choral numbers are wonderful.
The sound, the look and the fresh approach define the “revival” of this classic musical.
Performances of “Fiddler on the Roof” continue through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St. Tickets start at $38 and are available at the box office, by phone at (401) 421-ARTS (2787), or online at ppacri.org.