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| FIDDLER tonight | |
| Last Edit: hugoP 12:26 am EST 12/28/18 | |
| Posted by: hugoP 12:24 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I was blown away tonight by the Yiddish version of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Many have already weighed in on its wonders, but I just want to point out a few things that make it a must-see when it transfers off-Broadway in February. Steven Skybell is an extraordinary, fascinating Tevya. I've seen a number of them-- Topol, Burstein, Bikel, numerous regional Tevyas and several high school ones, too-- and I almost always enjoy the performance. It's a great part and the actor usually rises to the occasion. Skybell is doing something beyond that, though. His Tevya is funny and loving, but very very intense and very vulnerable. He really DOES seem like a Fiddler on the Roof, whereas the other Tevyas I have seen have usually been rock solid, big men whose world was shaking apart underneath them, though their solidity remained. Skybell seems to more vulnerable and more human and more flesh and blood than any i've seen-- he's not a larger-than-life Tevya, and I mean that in the very best way. The whole production is great, though, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Great, committed cast and beautiful direction by Joel Grey. And to hear it all in Yiddish is just wonderful-- more haunting, funnier, more nuanced than I've seen before. I used the supertitles a lot and I'm glad i did, because the adaptations of the lyrics and book are quite inventive and intriguing on their own. Everything about this production works, and it really makes the case that FIDDLER can be done in a lot of inventive ways. Cast was surprisingly large (29!) for such a small venue; orchestra I believe had 13 excellent musicians-- if all this transfers to Off Broadway you are in for a treat. Just sought out Jesse Green's NYT review of this production and I largely agreed...especially about the fact that the audience is visibly moved by the experience of this production nearly from the opening number onward. If you grew up in a household where Yiddish was spoken it likely has an even deeper impact. But if you love theatre, if you seek inventive performance and staging, if you even like the musical FIDDLER...get your tickets now. |
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| Has Skybell ever NOT been great? | |
| Posted by: whereismikeyfl 09:00 pm EST 12/31/18 | |
| In reply to: FIDDLER tonight - hugoP 12:24 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I am serious. I have seen him in great productions and questionable ones, but I cannot recall a single performance where he was less than excellent. | |
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| translation | |
| Posted by: StageDoorJohnny 02:26 am EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: FIDDLER tonight - hugoP 12:24 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I have the recording of the Israeli Fiddler in Yiddish done in the 60s. Is this production using the same translation, or has it been newly done for this production? Thanks |
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| re: translation | |
| Posted by: dlevy 08:56 am EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: translation - StageDoorJohnny 02:26 am EST 12/29/18 | |
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| It’s the same translation, but it has been lightly updated. Most notably, the opening number is now rendered “traditisya” instead of “de toireh” (pardon my inelegant transliteration). | |
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| thanks nmi | |
| Posted by: StageDoorJohnny 04:25 am EST 12/31/18 | |
| In reply to: re: translation - dlevy 08:56 am EST 12/29/18 | |
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| thanks | |
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| re: FIDDLER tonight | |
| Posted by: BwyDan 06:36 am EST 12/28/18 | |
| In reply to: FIDDLER tonight - hugoP 12:24 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I saw this production a couple of weeks ago and could not agree more with everything you say, hugoP! It's like you invaded my private thoughts and posted them online, lol. I expected the Yiddish to deepen my experience/response but had no idea to what extent. I mean, just hearing in Yiddish: "Sounds crazy, no?" !! What I also wasn't prepared for was the high level of musicianship - from the singing to playing. Tevye's Dream! Shortly into act 1 I thought, 'Well, I don't need to read the titles for the lyrics - I know them backwards and forwards" but, often ended up reading them as well, due to the many changes for scansion; and yes, said changes were indeed interesting. I almost never go back to see a show; there's always too much of interest that I haven't yet seen. But when I realized that if I did go back to this it would be for Skybell, that's when I knew, of all the wonderful Tevyes I've seen, Skybell's is the greatest (and sweetest); and that's saying a lot. (BTW, I'm pretty sure it's spelled Tevye.) Run dont' walk. |
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| re: FIDDLER tonight | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:12 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: FIDDLER tonight - BwyDan 06:36 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| "I almost never go back to see a show; there's always too much of interest that I haven't yet seen. But when I realized that if I did go back to this it would be for Skybell, that's when I knew, of all the wonderful Tevyes I've seen, Skybell's is the greatest (and sweetest); and that's saying a lot." I could have written this myself. I agree 100 percent, but also want to stress that the entire production is miraculously wonderful. |
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| re: FIDDLER tonight | |
| Posted by: hugoP 03:27 pm EST 12/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: FIDDLER tonight - BwyDan 06:36 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| Appreciate your take on all this, BwyDan! And thanks for the heads up on spelling “Tevye”. I’m mortified! Seems like there’s a lot of love for Skybell and this great production, which makes me happy. |
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| A question... | |
| Posted by: TheHarveyBoy 07:39 am EST 12/28/18 | |
| In reply to: re: FIDDLER tonight - BwyDan 06:36 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I too loved this Yiddish FIDDLER and plan to return to see it in Midtown, but here's my question: Does the show work for people who both A) don't understand Yiddish [there are lots of those, including me] and B) have never seen FIDDLER either onstage or screen [are there any of those?]? |
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| If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: gad90210 10:25 am EST 12/28/18 | |
| In reply to: A question... - TheHarveyBoy 07:39 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| And you don't understand Yiddish, wouldn't you already know if the show works for a non Yiddish speaker? I guess I'm puzzled by your question. And I think the show would work fine even for people who had never seen any previous incarnations. Yes, they would have to keep glancing at the translation text, but I don't think that would be a problem unless the person is a very slow reader. |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 10:32 am EST 12/28/18 | |
| In reply to: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - gad90210 10:25 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| I loved this production as well. More than any FIDDLER I have seen - and I saw the original production on Broadway, on tour, and in revival with at least 5 Tevye's including Zero, as well as the two recent revivals. My concern about its commercial appeal is that the average theatregoer won't go to movies with titles, let alone a play with titles - which is much more challenging. I've seen a lot of foreign language plays with titles at BAM, Park Ave Armory, and Lincoln Center - and I dont mind titles - and I find it challenging much of the time. Time will tell. I also wonder about the intimacy of this production in the vast confines of Stage 42. And I mean VAST. Wishing them well. |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:30 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - NewtonUK 10:32 am EST 12/28/18 | |
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| "I also wonder about the intimacy of this production in the vast confines of Stage 42. And I mean VAST." I'm not sure why some people have this idea that Stage 42 is "vast." Neither the stage nor the auditorium is unusually large. There are just under 500 seats, as has been often reported. It is true that there's no mezzanine and no overhang, just one rising level of stadium seating. So yes, people seated in the very back rows might feel SOMEWHAT distant from the stage. But the same is true for lots of other theaters, including the theater where the Yiddish FIDDLER is currently playing, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Although that theater does have fewer seats, I can't imagine anyone who sees the show from the last row of Stage 42 will feel significantly more removed from the action that someone who saw it from the last row in the theater at the museum. And, to make another comparison, the back rows of Stage 42 can't feel any more remote from the stage than the back rows at Second Stage's Off-Broadway space on 43rd St. Stage 42 has has some major issues, all of which have been discussed previously on this board, but I don't think. P.S.: Although I think I know what you mean about intimacy, the Yiddish FIDDLER has a cast of 29, so it is not a small show in that respect, and I think it should fill the Stage 42 stage very nicely. |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 06:19 am EST 12/30/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - Michael_Portantiere 12:30 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| Michael - I don't have the specs on the theatre where the shpw opened at the Museum, but Stage 42 has a 39'7" proscenium opening, which is 24' high. The overall stage is 71' wide, and 26' deep. |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: ryhog 10:27 am EST 12/30/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - NewtonUK 06:19 am EST 12/30/18 | |
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| I am not sure the point of these specs. We don't need numbers to look at the two stages and tell that the playable area is comparable. And of course if a set designer wants to make the playable area more intimate, that does not take a great deal of artistry. The main difference I see between the 2 spaces is that the midtown space has stadium seating which is a definite plus for everyone. | |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: ryhog 04:31 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - Michael_Portantiere 12:30 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| I had the same reaction and I agree with you. Had a different cast of characters been smitten by this production, it would have transferred to Broadway where, even in the smallest house, it would have been less intimate. (And it would have won the Tony, but that's another matter.) |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 05:35 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - ryhog 04:31 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| "Had a different cast of characters been smitten by this production, it would have transferred to Broadway where, even in the smallest house, it would have been less intimate. (And it would have won the Tony, but that's another matter.)" Yes. I believe the producer of the transfer has said basically that no available Broadway theater was viable for the production. But I do wish it could have transferred to Broadway for several reasons, including the fact that then it would have been eligible for the Tony nominations and awards that it deserves (and that the most recent Broadway revival of FIDDLER did not, except for the Burstein nomination). |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: ryhog 06:11 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - Michael_Portantiere 05:35 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| That is what was said, but recognize that "viable" is a euphemism for "we don't have enough money." It does not require a great deal of sleuthing to figure out that there were physically viable alternatives available if the money had been in place. | |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 10:08 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - ryhog 06:11 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| "That is what was said, but recognize that 'viable' is a euphemism for "we don't have enough money." It does not require a great deal of sleuthing to figure out that there were physically viable alternatives available if the money had been in place." You are probably correct, I was just repeating -- actually paraphrasing -- what was said. |
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| re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... | |
| Posted by: ryhog 11:00 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
| In reply to: re: If you saw Yiddish Fiddler... - Michael_Portantiere 10:08 pm EST 12/29/18 | |
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| I know. I have just become conditioned to not believing everything I hear. :-) :-( | |
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