I was lucky enough to be invited to the packed opening night of Fiddler on the Roof at the Wycombe Swan on Tuesday — and what a night it was.
My only prior brush with Fiddler was a somewhat neutered school production about 20 years ago, so I went in reasonably green. But this revival comes with serious pedigree, having wowed audiences at the Barbican and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, scooping up Best Musical awards along the way — including an Olivier. My expectations were high.
They were more than met.
This is a powerful, moving production that hits every note: music that cuts straight to the soul, a story brimming with humour and heartbreak, and a message that resonates as much in 2025 as it did in Imperial Russia. The standing ovation was richly deserved.
Story and Characters
At its heart, Fiddler is the story of Tevye, a poor milkman in the village of Anatevka, trying to hold fast to Jewish tradition while the world shifts around him. His sharp-tongued wife Golde and their five daughters provide both comedy and conflict, as three of the girls push to marry for love rather than duty. Looming over all of this is the threat of the Tsar’s regime, which eventually forces the villagers from their homes.
It’s a big production — a 30-strong cast plus on-stage orchestra — yet the characters never get lost in the crowd. A few highlights:
- Matthew Woodyatt (Tevye) is outstanding, embodying both the weary humour and deep pathos of the role. His rich vocals soar in Tradition and If I Were a Rich Man.
- Jodie Jacobs (Golde) is the perfect foil, grounding the chaos with sharp wit and pragmatism.
- Natasha Jules Bernard (Tzeitel) and Hannah Bristow (Chava) deliver emotional heft as daughters torn between love and tradition.
- Dan Wolff (Motel) gets the audience on side with his hilarious yet heartfelt turn as Tzeitel’s bumbling suitor.
- Beverley Klein (Yente) is pitch-perfect as the gossiping matchmaker. Relatable to anyone with a ‘Yente’ in their own family circle…
- Karl Wilson (Constable) is chilling as the polite but complicit face of oppression — the personification of the saying, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
Based on the real experiences of Jewish people in pre-war Russia and Eastern Europe including the pogroms and forced migration that many communities just like Anatevka faced, the story of Fiddler feels especially timely in the current climate of 2025.
It was notable that audience members were bag-checked before entering — a sobering reminder of the rise in antisemitism today.
The Music
The score is the lifeblood of Fiddler. It tells the story as much as the dialogue, and the cast deliver it with heart and precision.
Highlights include:
- Tradition — a rousing opener that showcases the full vocal range of the company.
- Tevye’s Dream — a comic-dramatic showstopper, staged to perfection. Just sublime.
- The Wedding Dance — complete with the famous (and flawlessly executed) bottle dance.
And then, of course, there’s the fiddler himself: a spectral presence whose haunting melodies reflect Tevye’s inner turmoil and symbolise the Jewish spirit of survival. His quiet, persistent presence makes the finale all the more poignant.
Final Thoughts…
This Fiddler on the Roof is, quite simply, unmissable. It’s moving, funny, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining, with a score that lingers long after the curtain falls.
My sister and I left the theatre convinced: it’s the best thing we’ve seen on stage this year — and we see a lot.
📍Wycombe Swan Theatre
🗓️Running through Saturday 20th September
🎟️ From £25
👉 Get tickets here
Images by Marc Brenner
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