Fiddler on the Roof - Regents Park OAT

I like it!

Interval thoughts. Too many people in this audience just don’t have a filter. But that is the challenge of putting on a tragedy in a summer party venue. The ushers have been busy running around stopping filming and photography.

Mixed views so far. They’ve tried to direct it differently, now that the original choreography no longer has to be used (apart from in the bottle dance - which is a highlight here and I think required). Some of the accent choices are a bit grating and it’s a shame they’ve portrayed Motel as being unable to sing, as it changes Wonder of Wonders from being a highlight to an ordeal.

This is much more effective when it gets dark (and you can’t hear kids laughing outside). I would not recommend a matinee.

Where I’m sat at a row end, the lights are dazzling.

One side of the front row isn’t on sale, possibly due to sight lines.

A lot is modern and minimalistic. Plastic chairs where the cast sit around. Russians in denim etc. But some bits are very effective, like the Act One close.

An excellent band too.

Overall, more of a hit than a miss so far, but I do think there are bits that should be reconsidered during previews. Looking forward to Act 2.

Act 2 better. Much darker and they pace through it. It’s as if they are trying to do as much as possible differently to traditional productions. Some of it works. The problem is, this all depends on knowing other versions.

Regarding Oklahoma!, funnily enough I hadn’t twigged that it was the same director, but as I watched the last 15 minutes or so, I was thinking how similar the style was. Saying the lines very fast, no staging, no pauses (thankfully) for badly placed audience laughs. I guess the same influence is there with some of the earlier staging too, with the cast sat around on chairs while they’re not performing rather than leaving the stage.

The biggest problem is a lack of coherence. The amended ending is a bit weak too and lacks the impact of other versions.

The vocals are generally strong in the group numbers, but less polished for solo numbers. I’m not sure why, as there are people in the cast who I know are strong singers. There’s also some difficulty keeping pace with the band (and avoiding the unplanned birds flying around).

When I go again, I will take sunglasses, particularly at the side of the stage.

Lara Pulver is really strong. It was good to see Greg Bernstein in the cast, but I wish he had a bigger role.

I didn’t pick up on any political commentary. If it was there, it was too subtle for me.

All finished at 22:35. I don’t have a rating yet. To be fair, I’d want to see this after previews when they’ve had time to work on the vocals and tidy up some more of Act 1.

I am sure there are many possible interpretations. I’m not sure what was intended here.

As I understand it, the setting of Anatevka was a fictional village in the Russian Empire. The exact location is ambiguous and could be in several current countries that did not exist at the time. A real refugee village of the same name was established in Ukraine in 2015.

Please do correct me if I’m wrong. There are obviously very powerful parallels between the persecution in the musical and the world of today. Despite what I believe many in the audience thought, it is not just a funny family comedy.

I saw it Wednesday night and have yet to find the time to write my thoughts. I loved it more than you did, but agree on how wonderful this Tevye is.

Nobody should be put off by worrying that the Director has used the same alienation techniques he used in "Oklahoma." Far from it, this is a lovefest for this musical, not a critique of it. It is incredibly faithful to the show as written, with only the ending very slightly but brilliantly amended.

I'll put the ending bit (as of Wednesday night; this is previews so the ending might change) in spoiler tags, so as to answer your question without spoiling it for those who want to enjoy the surprise of it:-

Got ya Steve. I was intially thinking different text or music as used.

Point 1 passed me by but 2 i got and loved.

Id be interested in seeing this towards the end of its run and see how its developed.

It seems like this was interrupted by protesters waving flags last night... Was anyone there? What happened?

I booked front row restricted view for this. Will I miss much (to anybody who has seen it)? Am six foot so hoping I'm tall enough to see above the edge of the stage. Thank you!

Although Timothy Sheader’s final work as artistic director at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre may not reinvent Fiddler, staging the piece outdoors in such a vast ampitheatre forces the issue. Even the show’s start time of 7.45pm, in early August, means audiences are plunged into a brooding darkness as the story shifts from one of celebration to fear and persecution.

Adam Dannheisser gives a sparkling performance as Tevye, seemingly able to shift with ease between quick-witted one-liners - often aimed at his wife and daughters - and a quiet devastation as his people and town come under fire from the pogroms. His ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ is gently understated and sets out his stall for the rest of the piece.

Opposite Dannheisser is Lara Pulver as his wife Golde. The pair share a beautifully performed moment with ‘Do You Love Me?’ early in the second act, in the face of trouble brewing for the people of Anatevka and their daughters’ romantic choices. Overall, it is an exceedingly talented cast and the three daughters exemplify that.

Liv Andrusier is charismatic and fiery as Tzeitel, showing flashes of the energy that made her so captivating as Annie Londonderry in Ride last summer. Likewise, Hannah Bristow (Chava) and George Bruce (Hodel) put in strong performances to complete the family dynamic. The trio provide one of the show’s highlights, combining for a spellbinding rendition of ‘Matchmaker’.

David Allen’s set design works a treat, with the vast openness providing ample space for scenes to play out while the orchestra provides the musical backdrop under the literal roof. Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s music and lyrics permeate all the more as the light fades and the focus hones in on the narrative.

A special mention must also go to Julia Cheng for her hypnotic choreography. The ensemble numbers are truly captivating, culminating in the famous Bottle Dance scene at the end of Act One. In whole, ripping Fiddler away from the confines of an indoor auditorium leaves this highly-emotive musical even more exposed. Adapting a musical for outdoors performances is undoubtedly a challenge but one the Regent’s Park creative team have risen to and then some.

Five stars. Can we get a poll?

I'll be trying to see this soon, looks amazing.