Fiddler On The Roof UK Tour Review (Leeds Grand Theatre)

02 August 2025 I 19:30 I Leeds Grand Theatre

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As Regent's Park Open Air Theatre conquers the international theatre scene, Jordan Fein's touring production of Fiddler On The Roof is a brutalist inspection of Jewish resilience in 20th century Imperial Russia. Conducting a socially gritty vision, melding both traditional and more fashionable modes of performance, a cynical musical with origins in 1964 maintains its discomforting commentary on anti-Semitism and political upheaval.

As Tevye and his five daughters overcome a changing landscape, Joseph Stein's book adheres to the movement of social realism, observing a marginalised community on the brink of expulsion. Opening with the culturally establishing Tradition, the number reprises itself across the production to portray the modern world as an aggressor.

The tone is surprisingly comedic in Act 1, relying on amusing asides to God and quips to find recognisably warm characters. Inducing audiences into a false sense of security (reminiscent of Cabaret), this mechanism forces a whiplash for audiences to confront harsher themes. Comic interjections can occasionally disrupt scenes with abrupt timing, thus taking audiences away from their urgency. Opting for a melancholy-weighted script would result in a more affecting message.

Roman Lytwyniw's Fiddler is arguably Fein's greatest visual achievement, rising on Tom Scutt's colossal mechanical roof and roaming the stage. Introduced as a recurring motif for survival, Lytwyniw's instrumental solos are captivating, a precarious series of notes that tells a story in itself. Duetting with Chava's (Carys McQueen) clarinet in Act Two, her musical involvement powerfully reflects her familial estrangement, a testament to her bravery in leaving Anatevka.

The patriarchal complexities of Tevye require an emotionally demanding performance, as Matthew Woodyatt's tragic succession from an honest grafter to a displaced and shameless father is heart-breaking. His gentle and grounded If I Were A Rich Man is a stage highlight for this year, juggling vivid displays of hope, charm and despair for a role driven with passionate integrity.

We all love a dream sequence in theatre, with Tevye's Dream restoring Act One's lengthy run-time with an absurdist nightmare, in which his Grandmother Tzeitel (Natasha Jules Bernard) rises from the grave. Transforming Bernard into a twisted amalgamation of bedsheets and claws, Tzeitel haunts Tevye as a symbol of ancient customs and the need to evolve, puppeteered by a tremendous ensemble.

An extensive cast benefits Fiddler On The Roof's community in Anatevka, a proud range of performers. Notably Beverley Klein's witty and humours Yente, all undergo a brutal decline, with final scenes granting respect to Jewish ancestors who have endured pogroms and anti-Semitic forces.

Touring venues are large to accommodate for Scutt's design, as Julia Cheng's Ukrainian folk-inspired choreography (after Jerome Robbins' original) is electrifying and lively in commanding every inch of the stage. The signature Bottle Dance's technical skill is a privilege to have witnessed live. Manipulating the space, Aideen Malone's lighting designs give impressions of intimacy and searing daylight for striking scenic images.

Implementing somewhat 'meta' choices into Fein's direction, with lesser-active characters seated around the stage watching the action unfold, not every creative decision feels necessary in this gutsy new take on a cherished musical. And even if Jerry Bock's music is commercially identifiable from Gwen Stefani to Christmas advert jingles, the artistry of Fiddler On The Roof is highly commendable. To traverse a tragicomedy with contextual honour towards 20th century expulsions is a tremendous feat.