Fiddler On The Roof - Playhouse Theatre

[dippy]

How frustrating, this is my guess at who you actually saw then:

Tevye - Craig Pinder
Perchik - James Hameed
Fyeka - Ed Wade
Constable/Avram - Adam Linstead
Mendel - Taylor Walker

Bielke and Shprinze - Hopefully whatever the thing in the foyer said

However your info which should really be correct and it looks like it probably was more accurate than my original assumption. I appear to have misread James Hameed's post on instagram I thought it said "last night" but it said "last week" in terms of Hodel and Perchik covers being on together. I think they were both on together earlier in the week then and not last night. However you definitely had Taylor Walker as Mendel as George Olney was covering three of the ensemble.

Andy Nyman, Stewart Clarke, Matthew Hawksley and Philip Bertioli were all definitely off yesterday if that helps you at all.

I'm very intrigued as to how the cover system works at Fiddler, I don't know if it's as simple as 1st cover, 2nd cover. For example as far as I can tell Robert Maskell was Tevye at the start of the week and Craig Pinder at the end of the week but I think both of them have been in the show all week. Maybe there's some kind of sharing fairness going on? Also with James Hameed having been Perchik earlier in the week that makes no sense either, James was covering Motel last week and Ed was covering Perchik, twitter said Ed would cover Perchik until Stewart was back but James went on during the week and again yesterday. Yesterday makes sense because Ed covers Fyedka so had to have been him yesterday. All very confusing!

[shady23]

Jul 14, 2019 19:19:25 GMT dippy said:

How frustrating, this is my guess at who you actually saw then:

Tevye - Craig Pinder
Perchik - James Hameed
Fyeka - Ed Wade
Constable/Avram - Adam Linstead
Mendel - Taylor Walker

Bielke and Shprinze - Hopefully whatever the thing in the foyer said

Yep, I've found the photo I took of the white slip and those were the names. Was more annoyed that according to the board Phillip was on when he clearly wasn't and he was the one I was most excited about seeing.

Ah well... The joys of live theatre!

Bielke was Talia Etherington
Shprize was Elena Cervesi

[dippy]

Jul 14, 2019 19:57:32 GMT shady23 said:

Yep, I've found the photo I took of the white slip and those were the names. Was more annoyed that according to the board Phillip was on when he clearly wasn't and he was the only one I was really bothered about seeing.

Ah well... The joys of live theatre!

Bielke was Talia Etherington
Shprize was Elena Cervesi

That is frustrating, like you say, annoyingly the joys of live theatre, hope you still enjoyed it though even though he was off.

[alece10]

Jul 14, 2019 19:57:32 GMT shady23 said:

Jul 14, 2019 19:19:25 GMT dippy said:

How frustrating, this is my guess at who you actually saw then:

Tevye - Craig Pinder
Perchik - James Hameed
Fyeka - Ed Wade
Constable/Avram - Adam Linstead
Mendel - Taylor Walker

Bielke and Shprinze - Hopefully whatever the thing in the foyer said

Yep, I've found the photo I took of the white slip and those were the names. Was more annoyed that according to the board Phillip was on when he clearly wasn't and he was the one I was most excited about seeing.

Ah well... The joys of live theatre!

Bielke was Talia Etherington
Shprize was Elena Cervesi

According to his Instagram posts Philip is on a hen weekend and seems be having great fun.

[shady23]

It was worth seeing for Maria alone, she is brilliant.

[amp09]

Jul 14, 2019 21:41:07 GMT shady23 said:

It was worth seeing for Maria alone, she is brilliant.

Yep, that’s who I’m going back to see.

[Dr Tom]

Made a return visit sooner than expected today, as I had a spare afternoon and managed to pick up a Stalls Row D side seat in the Rush. An excellent seat and the theatre was pleasantly air conditioned.

Fairly full, although there was a group of spare Row C seats immediately in front (people moved into them during the interval), which I presume were being held back as Premiums.

All of the main cast were back. Such a difference to last week and the stage feels fuller.

The lovely Mr Bertioli got to do the bottle dancer (one of two dancers who join part way through). Nearly lost the bottle early, then recovered, but unfortunately lost it completely about 10 seconds before the end. His drop was closely followed by one of the other dancers. It must be incredibly tough!

Great show, ruined only slightly by several phones going off with the owners being seemingly in no rush to turn them off. One came accompanied with giggles from a whole group of girls right during one of the poignant moments during the end of the show (but it was a group who seemed to think they were seeing a comedy about the funny Jews anyway!)

I think it was the first show back for Andy Nyman too, who didn't miss a step. And three two show days a week with a close two three hour long production like this can't be easy.

[amp09]

Jul 16, 2019 17:28:22 GMT Dr Tom said:

Made a return visit sooner than expected today, as I had a spare afternoon and managed to pick up a Stalls Row D side seat in the Rush. An excellent seat and the theatre was pleasantly air conditioned.

Fairly full, although there was a group of spare Row C seats immediately in front (people moved into them during the interval), which I presume were being held back as Premiums.

All of the main cast were back. Such a difference to last week and the stage feels fuller.

The lovely Mr Bertioli got to do the bottle dancer (one of two dancers who join part way through). Nearly lost the bottle early, then recovered, but unfortunately lost it completely about 10 seconds before the end. His drop was closely followed by one of the other dancers. It must be incredibly tough!

Great show, ruined only slightly by several phones going off with the owners being seemingly in no rush to turn them off. One came accompanied with giggles from a whole group of girls right during one of the poignant moments during the end of the show (but it was a group who seemed to think they were seeing a comedy about the funny Jews anyway!)

I think it was the first show back for Andy Nyman too, who didn't miss a step. And three two show days a week with a close two three hour long production like this can't be easy.

Was also in today. Got the right hand side circle box to myself for £35 and felt like I was amongst all the action.

Was an amazing view, and would definitely sit there again. Maria and Andy were outstanding. Anita Dobson gave quite a reserved performance, not bad, just different to what I’ve seen before.

Agree on the phones, one was from the box opposite me, who took forever to turn it off!

Really, really love this show. Hope to be back soon before it closes.

[Someone in a tree]

Jul 14, 2019 21:41:07 GMT shady23 said:

It was worth seeing for Maria alone, she is brilliant.

Im not a fan. Has she got any scheduled leave?

Please and ta

[Deleted]

Saw this last Friday. Not something I would normally go for, but as a classic I had not seen felt should give it a go.

First things first - the cast board - a pathetic piece of A4 hidden behind a pint and large wine glass at the side of the stalls bar. Nothing in circle where I was. No slips in programme. No announcement. In fact I only found it as I went for a hunt for it in the interval. Which after a wee and buying a diet coke took up all the available time. As many covers on I wanted to see who I was watching.
If you ask me it's a disgrace and totally disrespectful to the actors on stage.

ANYWAY, rant over.

I loved the show - so emotional, so heartwarming, so engaging. Nothing to compare it to but thought the production of it was absolutely delightful.
Loved seeing Maria Friedman (1st time since Woman in White) and thought she was perfect in the role.

Anita Dobson also fabulous - how on earth does she get third billing though? She has two monologues and that's about it - doesn't even get a song! Is that role normally billed so high or is it just cos she's a name?

Ending was beautiful.

I will go again if I get the chance - a great discovery!

[shady23]

There is an understudy slip stuck up behind the bar in the upper circle. Sadly it's not easy to see. Price lists not easy to see either. I bought the most standard cider bottle available and nearly fainted when I was told £7.20.

[Dr Tom]

Couldn't resist a visit this afternoon. It was one of those shows I was just in the mood for, although I expect it will be a few weeks before I go again.

A near perfect set of performances, helped by a good audience (only one mobile phone went off) and Andy Nyman making it through without any line flubs.

Helped also by having the best seat I've had for the show, a bargain Row B Stalls seat for £20 (thanks to ATG dynamic pricing and the summer discount code) with a perfect close view.

According to the cover note, all the leads were on (with the note only mentioning the two younger daughters), but the Rabbi was obviously not Fenton Grey and was actually Adam Linstead. He was good and didn't overact as much as Fenton. The cover note had been updated by the end of the show.

And for those keeping count, Philip Bertioli successfully made it through the bottle dance without losing his bottle. Well done! An effect only slightly ruined by losing his kippah straight after. But he covered it like a professional.

The best of the traditional musicals in London right now.

[pianowithsam]

Jul 18, 2019 21:31:19 GMT Dr Tom said:

Couldn't resist a visit this afternoon. It was one of those shows I was just in the mood for, although I expect it will be a few weeks before I go again.

A near perfect set of performances, helped by a good audience (only one mobile phone went off) and Andy Nyman making it through without any line flubs.

Helped also by having the best seat I've had for the show, a bargain Row B Stalls seat for £20 (thanks to ATG dynamic pricing and the summer discount code) with a perfect close view.

According to the cover note, all the leads were on (with the note only mentioning the two younger daughters), but the Rabbi was obviously not Fenton Grey and was actually Adam Linstead. He was good and didn't overact as much as Fenton. The cover note had been updated by the end of the show.

And for those keeping count, Philip Bertioli successfully made it through the bottle dance without losing his bottle. Well done! An effect only slightly ruined by losing his kippah straight after. But he covered it like a professional.

The best of the traditional musicals in London right now.

You say that Fenton wasn't on "obviously".
Why is that?

[Dr Tom]

Jul 18, 2019 22:29:56 GMT pianowithsam said:

You say that Fenton wasn't on "obviously".
Why is that?

In the way that was obvious to me because I know what the person who usually plays the role looks like.

[pianowithsam]

Jul 19, 2019 5:52:39 GMT Dr Tom said:

Jul 18, 2019 22:29:56 GMT pianowithsam said:

You say that Fenton wasn't on "obviously".
Why is that?

In the way that was obvious to me because I know what the person who usually plays the role looks like.

Oh, I misunderstood.
Thought you meant there was an obvious reason to why he wasn’t on - sorry!

[Dr Tom]

One further note from yesterday. Was queued a while to pick up my ticket and noticed a few people buying.

None of them were offered any discounts at the Box Office (and could have done better online or from TKTS). Just the standard dynamic pricing.

So if you’re the type of person who tries for a last minute deal (as I sometimes do), this isn’t the theatre or show to go for).

[fiyero]

Jul 19, 2019 21:32:35 GMT Dr Tom said:

One further note from yesterday. Was queued a while to pick up my ticket and noticed a few people buying.

None of them were offered any discounts at the Box Office (and could have done better online or from TKTS). Just the standard dynamic pricing.

So if you’re the type of person who tries for a last minute deal (as I sometimes do), this isn’t the theatre or show to go for).

Do you mean they asked and were denied? It would be bad business for someone to ask for a ticket at full price and be offered a discounted one!

[Dr Tom]

That, I couldn’t say for sure, as I didn’t hear the full details of all the conversations. But I thought some looked savvy enough to know that theatres often discount shortly before showtime.

[grannyjx6]

I have been a couple of times (many years ago)and bought at the box office, paying full price. Now I know better, but as you say, many people don't

[impossibleprincess73]

Jul 19, 2019 21:32:35 GMT Dr Tom said:

So if you’re the type of person who tries for a last minute deal (as I sometimes do), this isn’t the theatre or show to go for).

Good to know, thanks for the heads up.  I was going to try for an 'on the day' discount when I go in Aug.

[amp09]

Jul 22, 2019 23:30:20 GMT impossibleprincess73 said:

Jul 19, 2019 21:32:35 GMT Dr Tom said:

So if you’re the type of person who tries for a last minute deal (as I sometimes do), this isn’t the theatre or show to go for).

Good to know, thanks for the heads up.  I was going to try for an 'on the day' discount when I go in Aug.

Best to try TodayTix Rush Tickets on the day. I’ve always managed to get a ticket on there for £25, and great seats.

[impossibleprincess73]

Thank you, that's exactly what I will do. Hopefully the fact that it's Aug and kids go free shouldn't affect this show too much - it is for the whole month of Aug that the kids get to go free, isn't it? Or am I getting it wrong?

[sf]

Jul 24, 2019 9:25:04 GMT @theatremonkey said:

^Yes, "Kids Week" now means 1st to 31st August.

Presumably the bar staff are already working on a suitable alcohol-free mocktail to sell at the interval.

[xanady]

^How would kids going free affect the show? Genuine question.

[impossibleprincess73]

I just meant that if it was a popular show that parents would take kids to then it might be harder to get a good seat in Aug. I don't think that will be the case for Fiddler though, as it's not overly kid friendly.