If you have been reading my blog for years, you may remember this passage:
I have seen "Fiddler on the Roof" on stage more than 20 times in my life, starting at about the age of seven. Since I was about 24, I saw the movie a few times. I have had, over the years, LPs, tapes and CDs of several different renditions. I can play a few of the tunes on the piano. I love it. That is my favourite show of all times.
I have heard the music so many times, my brain is so wired to it that I cannot stop myself from crying every time I hear it (that is why I don't listen to it in the car - it is a traffic hazard). And it is not just a little bit of a teary eye, but full-blown sobbing. Shows my sensitive side, I guess, not something I am afraid of displaying in public. In the theater, I start while the orchestra is tuning. Watching a movie at home, it takes me about 10 minutes into it to begin.
I have never seen Topol as Tevye live. I just barely missed it one year, but I had to leave London and go home one day early as the ferries across the Channel were going on strike. Still, he is IMHO the best Tevye ever....
And I have still not seen Topol as Tevye live. And now he is retiring from the role and doing the last tour. So, after almost 40 years of waiting, I will finally get to see him - here in Durham, at the new Durham Performing Arts Center this Friday - the whole family is going. I am bringing a stack of handkerchiefs....
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You have no idea how jealous I am. Just imagine that I was going and you weren't
My parents saw him in London on its original run and rave about it to this day. (Though my Mum still thinks that Howard Keel in Oklahoma! was slightly better.)
I am jealous too. Enjoy the performance and do not cry.Love,mom
L'chaim!
In the distant past -- before Zero Mostel opened as Tevye, I had the privilege of visiting him backstage just after he had romped through Pseudolus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum". He sprawled in an elderly, over stuffed easy chair in his bathrobe with the sweat of his exertions pouring from him. Of course he was gracious. Of course he was kind.
I recalled seeing him before in Ionesco's "Rhinoceros". Magnificent.
I wish you great joy of seeing Topol. He too is an incredibly wondrous actor.
--ml
I went last night and it was INCREDIBLE!! Topol made the performance. If you've never seen him on stage, but you've seen the musical so many times, prepare to have your mind blown. I plan to blog about it later today on Ginnyfromtheblog.com. Seriously, he is AMAZING.
My parents saw him, and hated it. This was years ago, and (by their description) he hammed it up, intentionally upstaged (figuratively speaking) his fellow performers, and basically acted as if the world revolved around him.
Of course, he got his standing ovation at the end. My parents, in the second row, resolutely stayed seated (if you knew them, the only question would be why they did not simply leave during one of his numbers); he saw them sitting there and pointedly gestured that they should rise. All he got was a shaking of heads, and folded arms.
I am hoping their review speaks more about them than about his performance, but it will be interesting to see.
Hmmm... reading your comments, I cannot trust my memory as to whether it was Topol or Zero Mostel. I will leave this comment anyway, but with a warning that it may be completely wrong.
I was going to say "L'chaim," but I was beaten to it.
Enjoy!