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November 29, 2002
Fiddler plays great tune
Jay Brazeau's Tevye keeps the audience entertained.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
I had always loved the play Fiddler on the Roof when I was
a child. However, after watching various Hebrew high school productions,
movies and sing-along versions of the show, I had come to the point
where I eventually lost my enthusiasm for the classic play.
Then, on assignment for the Bulletin Nov. 21, I attended
the opening night of the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre's production
of the show and I fell in love with Fiddler all over again.
For those who may have been in hiding from the theatrical or musical
world, Fiddler on the Roof tells the story of Tevye, his
wife Golda, their five daughters, and the rest of the Russian village
of Anatevka.
Set in the early 1900s, as pogroms and other anti-Jewish demonstrations
spread throughout the country, Fiddler established its theme
of the challenges that come with adjusting to change almost immediately
through the song "Tradition," which explains how the Jews
in the small village survived by living in a world of roles, expectations
and, of course, traditions.
The lovable, yet stubborn, Tevye is forced to balance accepting
changes in love and relationships with the love he has for his daughters.
Playing the role of Tevye was Jay Brazeau, who has also had roles
in various film and television projects like Double Jeopardy,
Air Bud 4, A Muppet Christmas and the Vancouver-based
drama Da Vinci's Inquest.
One of the challenges of succeeding with a popular show like Fiddler
is finding a way to offer something different to an audience that
is likely quite familiar with many of the play's songs and scenes.
Led by Brazeau and director Michael Shamata, the cast and crew did
an excellent job adding their own magic to the entire production,
allowing even the most knowledgeable Fiddler fan to enjoy
the show like it was their first time.
For example, Brazeau had the audience smiling, laughing and cheering
as he jiggled his belly through his version of the song, "If
I were a Rich Man."
Another well choreographed and entertaining scene was when Tevye
tells his wife of a dream he had in which Golda's deceased mother
paid a visit to tell them that their oldest daughter Tzeitel should
marry Motel, the poor tailor, rather than Lazar Wolfe, the wealthy,
old butcher.
Though the entire cast did a convincing job portraying early 20th-century
Russian Jews, only a handful were actually Jewish. Advah Soudack
played Tevye's third, and most rebellious, daughter Chava, and Hayley
Fox was Shprintze, the fourth daughter. Abraham Jedidiah (Abraham
Rogatnick) was the village rabbi and Matthew Rossoff handled the
roles of the fiddler, Kostya, the Russian dancer and Chaim, a villager.
The show's choreographer, Lisa Stevens, is also Jewish.
If you've never seen Fiddler before, this version of the
show may offer as good an opportunity as any to really appreciate
the magic of the story. If you're a Fiddler veteran who just
can't get enough of Yente the matchmaker in your life, you won't
be let down by anyone in this village of Anatevka.
Fiddler on the Roof will continue to play at the Vancouver
Playhouse Theatre through to Dec. 21. Tickets can be purchased by
calling 604-280-3311 or 604-873-3311.
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