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By Sheldon Barwick
Walking
into the theatre you were immediately transported to the Russian
countryside with the twitter of birdsong all around.
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 Paul
Nicholas isn't one of those stars who is employed just because
a show wants a star.
From
the moment he first walked onto the stage, he had the audience
in the palm of his hand.
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| Sheldon
Barwick, reviewer |
Not
being sure what to expect from this production of Fiddler on the
Roof, everything which followed was a pleasant surprise.
The
show takes place in rural Russia in the early 1900's and centres
around Tevye, his family and the political upheaval of the time
as well as the more personal issues of children growing up and leaving
home.
Paul
Nicholas isn't one of those stars who is employed just because a
show wants a star. From the moment he first walked onto the stage,
he had the audience in the palm of his hand. I soon forgot he was
Paul Nicholas and believed that he was Tevye.
The
opening number, "Tradition" set the pace for the rest
of the show with great dancing and equally great singing from the
whole cast, with just a hint of first-night nerves in the first
few solos.
Equally
good were the sets which were both simple and effective in making
you feel you were in the village of Anatevka. This was helped by
the excellent costumes and the wigmaster was obviously working overtime!
The
whole cast seemed to put their all into the show, both in the rip-roaring
singing and dancing and the poignant and moving ending of the show.
The scene to watch out for is the "dream sequence" which
even includes some great puppetry.
All
in all, it's a must-see show.
Fiddler
on the Roof is playing at the Oxford Apollo until Sunday March 9.
See listings
for details.
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