11.04.07
The Fiddler on the Roof
“A fiddler on the
roof. Sounds crazy, no?
But here… you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a
pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn’t easy.”
It’s my second year with ABC’s theatre crew, and although
our small-town musical presentations are far from being worthy of critical
acclaim, I find myself enjoying these performances. With struggling performers, and an audience
of several hundred unruly school children, I can say that we’re all fiddlers on
the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking our
necks. It’s not easy, but it’s a worthy
attempt to expose these children to another art form.
Last year, we did The
Sound of Music and I had to carry out the whole score on the piano – which
was not so difficult since I practically grew up with The Sound of Music. This
time, it’s The Fiddler on the Roof…
and I shall be the pianist for the rest of the score, and for two songs, the
fiddler. Yep! The first female fiddler on the roof – as far
as I know… and I shall be the fiddler… on the roof… trying to scratch out a
pleasant, simple tune… and praying that I won’t scratch it out of tune… or break my
neck… it won’t be easy. (Where are you
when I need you, Franz?! Haha)
From my worries, let us divert our attentions to the musical
itself. The Fiddler on the Roof. Although
the characters are based on Sholom Aleichem’s fables about Tevye the Milkman
and his daughters, the title of the musical credits Russian-born artist Mark
Zakharovich Shagal (Marc Chagall) with his painting called “The Dead Man”
which depicts a funeral scene and a man playing a fiddle on the roof top.
I believe this painting reflects the depth and grimness of
the story. The theme and soul of this musical
requires and deserves a profound exploration. These are people in bondage by poverty, government officials, inevitable
change, and most of all tradition – the same thing that makes them keep their
balance… and in one way or another, most of us can relate… and we all can say
that we ourselves are fiddlers on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant,
simple tune without breaking our necks. It isn’t easy.
