Theater: Mostel as Tevye in 'Fiddler on the Roof': Sholem Aleichem Tales Made Into a Musical By HOWARD TAUBMAN New York Times (1923-Current file); Sep 23, 1964; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2009) pg. 56 Theater: Mos(~IC;l$ Tevy~ ill ~Fiddler?91.1-the Roof'l SholemAleichem Tales Made Into a Musical By HOWARD TAUBl'tIA..~ has been prophesied ITthe Broadway musical that the- ater would take up the mant\e of meaningfulness worn so carelessly by the American drama in recent years. "Fiddler on the Roof" does its bit to make good on this proph? eey. The new musical, which opened last night at the Imperial Theater, is filled with laughter and tenderness. It catches the essence of a moment in history with sentiment and radiance. Compounded of the familiar matenals of the musical theater -popular song, vivid dance movement, comedy and emotion - it combines and transcends them to arrive a.t a~ integratM achjevement of t'..."lcommon quality. , The essential. distinction of "Fiddler on the? Roofn must be kept in mind even as one cavils at a point here or a detail there. For criticism of a work of this caliber, it must be remembered, is relative. If I wish that several of the musical numbers soared indigenously, if I find fault with a gesture that is Broadway rather than the world of Sholem Al~ichem, if I deplore a. conventional scene, it is be-cause "Fiddler on the Roof" is so fine that it de!erves counsels toward perfection. o But first to the things that a.re marvelously right. ,The book that Joseph Stein has drawn from the richly humorous and huma.ne tales of Sholem Aleichem, the warmhea.rted spokesman of the poor Jews in the Russian villages a.t the turn of the century, is fa.ithful to its origins. It touches honestly on the customs of the Jewish eomrnUDity in such a' Russian village. Indeed, it goes beyond local color and lays bare in quick, moving strokes the sorrow of a people subject to sudden tempests of vandalism and, in the end, to evic.. tion and exile from a. place that had been bome. Although there is no time in a musical for a fully developed gaUery of human portraits, "Fiddler on the Roof" manages to display several that have authentic character. The most arresting, of course, is that of Tevye, the humble dairyman whose bless .. ings included a. hardworking. if sharp-tongued, wife, five da.ughters and a native philosophical bent. If Sholem Aleichem had known Zero Mostel, he would have chosen him, one is sure, l\~a.ria. Karnilova. a.nd Zero Mos1:el in Inuslc&l CODledy based on SholeID. AleicheID.'S s't.ories - . -- for Tevye. Some years ago Mr. Mastel bestowed his imagination and incandescence on Tevye in an Off-Broadway and television' version of Sholem Aleichem's stories. Now he has a. whole evening for Tevye, and Tevye for him. They were orda.ined to be one. Mr. Mostel looks as Tevye should. His full beard is a. pious aureole for his shining countenance. The stringy ends of his prayer shawl h~ng from under his vest; the knees of his breeches' are patched, and his boots are scuffed. On festive occaSions he wears a skull cap and kaftan that give him. an appearance of bourgeois solidity. But he is too humble to put. on airs. A man of goodwill, l\[r. Mastel often pauses to carry on a dialogue with himself, a.rguing both sides of a case with equal logic. He holds long conversations with God, Although his observations never are disrespectful, they call a spade a spade. IISend us the cure," he warns the Lord, "we got the sickness already," o When Maria Karnilova as his steadfast but blunt Wife breaks in on one of these communions with a dry greeting, "Finally home, my breadwinner!". he is polite enough for a parting word to God, "I'll talk to You later." Mr. Mostel does not keep his acting and singing or his walking and dancing in separate compartments. His Tevye is a unified, lyrical conception. \Vith the exception of a grimace or a gesture? several times that score easy laughs, Tevye stays in character. The scope of this perfonnance is summed up best in mom e n t s made eloquent through music and movement. The Cast FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ;t musical based' on Sholem Aleichem's stories. Book. by Joseph Sfein. Music by Jerry Bock. LYrics by Sheldon Harnick. Staged and .choreographed by Jerome Robbins; presented by Harold Prince; scenery by Boris Aronson; costumes by Patricia Zipprodt; ligfll:ng by Jean Rosenthal; orchestrations by Don Walkeri musical direclion and vocal arrangements by Miltlln Grer:n~; d!nce music arranged by ietty Walbergj production stage manager, Rulh Mitchell. At the Im- perial Theater, 249 W!st 4Sth Street. Tevyt ...................... Zero Mostel Golde ................ ~ .Maria Karnilova Tzeifel ................... Joanna Merlin Hodel .................... Julia Migenes (hava .................... Tanya Everett Shprinfze ................ MarilYn Rogers Bi!lk~ ................... Linda Ross Motel ................. Austin Pendleton Perchik ..................... Sert Coovy Vente ,., ................ Bl!atrice Arthur Lazar Wolt ...o , ......... Michael Granger Morehe .................... lve! Seooler Rabbi ..................... Gluck Sandor Mendel ... , ...... , ........ leonard Frey Avram ... ,.... .. Paul tillson K'achum ............... Maurice Edwards Grandma Tzeit!I,., .... ,.... . .Sue Babel Fruma?Sarah .......o... , ... C!fQI SaWYer (anstable ............... JoserJh Sullivan F'Iedka ........ , .......... Joe Ponarecki Shandel ... , ...... , ..... , ... Helen Verbit B'oftie Oi!ncers .. , .... , .. louis Genevrina, Mifch Thomas, Duane !odln, John C. Afile Fiddler ................oo.. Gino Conforti When :Mr. Mostel sings "It I Were a. Rich Man," interpolating passages of cantillation in the manner ot prayer, his Tevye is both devout and pungently realistic. When Tevye chants a prayer as the good Golde tries to convey an item of vital news, Mr. Mastel :is not only comic but evoca ti~ of all old way of life. When Tevye hears the horrifying word tha t his third daughter has l'un away with a gentile, Mr. Mostel dances his anguish in a flash of savage emotion. The score by Jerry Bock and the lyrics by Sheldon Barnick at their best move the story along, enrich the mood and intenSify the erno? tions. "Sabbath Prayer" is as hushed as a. community at its devotions. "Sunrise, Sunset" is in the spirit of a tradition4 al wedding under a canopy. When Tevye and Golde after 25 years of marJ;iage ask themselves, "Do YOll Love Me-?'t, the song has a touching angularity. But several of the other romantic tunes are merely routine. . Jerome RobbinS has staged "Fiddler on the Roof" , ...ith sensitivity and fire. As his own choreographer, he weaves dance into action with subtlety and flaring theatricalism. The opening 4ance to a nostalgic song, "Tradition," has a ritual sweep. The dances at the wedding burst with vitality. A dream sequence is full of humor. And the choreographed fare,vells of the Jews leaving their Russian village have a poignancy that adds depth to "Fiddler on the Roof," 'Boris Aronson's sets provide a background that rings true; they- give the work an unexpected dimension of beau? ty in scenes like "Sabbath Prayer," the wedding and the .epilogue. o Joanna Merlin, Julia Mi4 genes, Tanya Everett as three of the daughters, Beatrice Arthur as a busybody of a matchmaker. Austin Pendle? ton as a. poor tailor, Bert Convy as a young radical, Michael Granger as a weU? to-do butcher and Joe Pona? zecki as the gentile suitor are among those who sing and act with flavor. Richness of flavor marks "Fiddler on the Roof." AIthough it does not entirely eschew the stigmata of routine Broadway, it has. an han? est feeling for another place, time and people. And in Mr. 'Mostel's Tevye it has 'one of the most glOwing creations in the history of the musical thea.ter. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. 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