'Fiddler' - and Topol - still offer a bittersweet ode to tradition

Posted June 14, 2009 11:00 pm

By Scott C. Morgan

"Tradition!"

Topol gruffly rumbles out that all-important song title and catchphrase at the top of "Fiddler on the Roof," the beloved 1964 musical now back in Chicago courtesy of a first-class tour at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre.

Not only is the pull between change and tradition at the heart of "Fiddler," but this tour can also offer audiences a glimpse back to the golden-age traditions of Broadway before it became overpopulated with jukebox musicals and Hollywood film-to-stage adaptations.

The main reason to catch this "Fiddler" is to see Chaim Topol (his full name) performing his most iconic role in what is billed as his "Farewell Tour." Topol not only played Tevye in an Academy Award-nominated turn in Norman Jewison's 1971 film version of the musical, but also originated the role in the late 1960s for "Fiddler" productions in Tel Aviv and London. The 1990 Broadway revival of "Fiddler" also starred Topol.

So how does Topol, now in his 70s, stack up today as the Jewish milkman and father of five daughters who is constantly having one-sided conversations with God about life's inconveniences in czarist Russia? Let's just say Topol is a pro who knows how to milk as many laughs and tears out of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's classic score and Joseph Stein's savvy script.

Yet it must be said that at his age Topol isn't as physically boisterous as other Tevyes I've seen, nor is he as spontaneous from moment to moment (as a veteran of more than 2,500 worldwide performances in the role, this might be a bit rote for him).

But Topol keeps everything grounded and ultimately delivers a respectable and very enjoyable victory lap as Tevye. Longtime fans should be pleased, while newcomers should consider themselves lucky to see such a pro still delivering the goods in this landmark of American musical theater.

As for the "Fiddler" production surrounding Topol, "tradition" is also the defining word. Instead of using British director David Leveaux's 2004 Broadway revival as a template (that revisionist "Fiddler" staging divided many critics and audiences), this tour hearkens back much more to the original staging of the late director/choreographer Jerome Robbins (who brilliantly showed the interconnectedness of village life through movement and lovely stage tableaus).

Director/choreographer Sammy Dallas Bayes has reproduced Robbins' original choreography quite well, while scenic designer Steve Gilliam's approach to the shtetl village of Anatevka is strongly drawn from designer Boris Aronson's original Chagall-inspired work.

Supporting cast members deliver respectable performances that never really eclipse Topol's front-and-center turn, but they ultimately get the job done. Of note are Susan Cella as Tevye's no-nonsense wife Golde, plus Mary Stout as the chatterbox matchmaker Yente.

Also interesting is the fact that Sean Patrick Doyle is the first man to professionally play the ghost Fruma-Sarah (quite the scene stealer with his operatic falsetto notes and green-faced makeup).

It's clear that people are overly familiar with this 45-year-old musical. One elderly woman near me hummed along (not always in tune) to songs like "Sunrise, Sunset," while some teenagers in front of me made ironic laughs of recognition at the start of classic tunes like "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and "If I Were a Rich Man."

Yet "Fiddler" shouldn't be written-off just as old hat. Its scenes of anti-Semitic violence uncomfortably silenced the entire house, and served as a strong reminder that "Fiddler" is ultimately a lament for a lost way of life for many descendants of Eastern European Jews.

So see "Fiddler" now for the legendary turn by Topol as Tevye, plus to revel in a classic Broadway show that "they just don't make anymore." It may be overly traditional for some tastes, but that's the whole charm of it.

Topol stars in a "Farewell Tour" of the classic Broadway musical "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre in Chicago.

Fiddler on the Roof Location: Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sunday, June 14; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays; through Sunday, June 28 Running time: About 3 hours with intermission Tickets: $25-$80 Box office: (312) 902-1400 or broadwayinchicago.com Rating: For general audiences

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