Review: Fiddler on the Roof, Sheringham Little Theatre

Fiddler on the Roof is such a staple of British theatre, professional and amateur, that it's impossible not to start singing the songs long before you take your seat.

'If I were a Rich Man', 'Matchmaker, Matchmaker,' and 'Tradition', are such favourites of mine that I couldn't help wondering what kind of rendition they would get on stage.

Resounding, is the answer. What a full-throated and wonderfully rich sound these actors made.

Anthony Loftus as the main role, Tevye, has the most effortless baritone, and amongst the other soloists there was none of the vocal straining so familiar to the amateur stage.

Again, the Little Theatre is tackling Jewish cultural history – last time it was Anne Frank and the horrors of the holocaust, and now it's Russia and the pogroms. Fiddler on the Roof sees father Tevye struggling to keep his five daughters true to the Jewish traditions in the face of enormous social change and pressure.

This is a young cast and, given the maturity of some of the roles, it is surprising just what depth and range they achieve. A packed audience loved every minute. Bravo!

Eve Stebbing