‘Fiddler’ has new mensch
THANKS to Zero Mostel’s larger-than-life performance, “Fiddler on the Roof ” is often considered a star vehicle. But there’s a reason the show isn’t called “Tevye — The Musical!” It’s more of an ensemble piece — or at least it is now.
In the superb Broadway revival that opened Sunday, the 1964 musical proves that it has such great bones, it doesn’t need a marquee-size star at its center.
What it has is Danny Burstein, a five-time Tony nominee, most recently for “Cabaret.” His take on Tevye is typically subtle and gentle. He acts out the songs, rather than selling them.
So yeah, Burstein’s lowboil presence might frustrate some. It will certainly be a problem to those who prefer “If I Were a Rich Man” to rattle the last row of the last mezzanine.
But the show eventually works its magic as, once again, Tevye the milkman asks God for advice on how to handle his headstrong daughters. In the background, tensions between Jewish and gentile Russians flare up — the action takes place in a shtetl in 1905, and menace is always bubbling under the surface.
The production is warmly acted and beautifully sung — no surprise since it comes from Bartlett Sher, the man behind the hit revivals of “The King and I” and “South Pacific.” This is a guy who understands tradition, but also the need for updates.
The biggest is new choreography by Israel-born, UK-based Hofesh Shechter, which smoothly melds into the show’s universe. Rest assured, though, that Jerome Robbins’ iconic bottle dance is still there and is still amazing.
This top-notch revival may not make Burstein a household name, but it ensures that “Fiddler” remains one.