Type – Golden Age Musical, Revival, West End Transfer
If you liked – Sound of Music, South Pacific, Cabaret, The Happiest Man on Earth
Fiddler on the Roof: Revitalised yet timeless, an outstanding production of Fiddler on the Roof
There is nothing more quintessential music theatre than the transfixing open chords by the titular Fiddler on the Roof, followed by that dramatic Golden Age Broadway brass sound kicking off Joseph Stein’s (book), Sheldon Harnick’s (lyrics), Jerry Bock’s (music) classic and revered Fiddler on the Roof.
This production has made the Qantas long haul jump from London’s West End following its sold-out season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2024. Directed by Jordan Fein, this revival has taken something so classic and made it feel blisteringly contemporary. Despite having personally seen this musical a handful of times over the last 20 years, it felt new and exciting again. It was easy to see how this revival won dozens of awards and is now seeing productions pop up around the world.
Fein’s collaboratorsTom Scutt (designer), Julia Cheng (choreographer), Aideen Malone (lighting designer), and Nick Lidster (sound design) have found a common language for the production and crafted stunning visual storytelling. In an era of LED screens and automation, the world of the show feels lived in, and gives so much room to build to jaw-dropping moments such as the fiery end to act one.
The whole show is played with great earnestness and urgency. Fein has candidly captured small-village life, and the directorial decision not to push any one single accent makes the show feel like it could have taken place in any number of eras and locations. Watching it in 2026, it’s impossible not to recognise how little humanity has learned about the cost of hatred and forced displacement.
Cheng’s choreography is enchanting and feels full in the sparse landscape of the village. The infamous bottle dance, ever the crowd-pleaser, now feels earned amongst Fein’s gripping staging of Tzeitel and Motel’s wedding, rather than a gimmick.
Scutt’s bountiful set never feels abstruse, and ascends and descends, capturing the intimacy and vastness of the story. Malone’s keenly refined lighting design uses Scutt’s design like a canvas, and paints with light unlike any musical I’ve seen recently.
Troy Sussman gives Tevye such gravitas and is deeply compelling to watch, and Alexis Fishman makes you yearn for Golde’s plight, and together you truly believe they are two people just doing the best they can with the ebbs and flows of the life they’re living.
A welcome surprise from Fein is how much agency he’s massaged out of the script for the daughters. Freya Boltman’s Tzeitel lands much more powerfully than in previous iterations, Ellen Ebbs’ Hodel is intensely rebellious, and your heart breaks for Caity Plummer’s Chava as she’s cast aside by her father for following her heart and marrying outside her faith. Even the two youngest daughters, who are never normally more than two girls sitting on Tevye’s wagon at the end, Romy Juliette Glass and Ksenia Telianikova’s headstrong Shprintze and cheeky Bielke, are fully rounded, endearing characters, and collectively the moments between the five daughters and their parents feel the most grounded and heartfelt.
The company at large is a tight unit, with no one performance outshining the rest, further amplifying the sense of community and solidarity within the village. That said, there are still scene-stealers. Felix Star perfectly embodies the lovesick puppy Motel, who finds his bark when needed. The interwoven role of The Fiddler, played by Ben Adler, is a refreshing addition, making the role more of a town minstrel than a cameo.
Grand dame of Australian entertainment Sigrid Thornton’s performance as the matchmaker Yente gives a masterclass in musical theatre at its finest. Thornton is captivating in a way so few performers anywhere in Australia are, and in this she gives one of those performances that you feel so lucky to have experienced and know will always stay with you. Likewise, veteran performer John Waters is nearly unrecognisable and gives a piercing performance as jilted Lazar Wolf.
Is FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
The show is, and has always been, a striking allegory on the effects of dispossession and colonisation on marginalised people who just want to live in peace, one that transcends eras. Serving as a perfect rebuttal to those who decry the relevance of revivals, Fiddler on the Roof is the must-see musical of the year. It’s absolutely flawless on so many levels and will stay with you long after you leave the theatre.
Tickets and Practical Info for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in SYDNEY 🎟️
Fiddler on the Roof Australian Tour Dates:
Brisbane’s Glasshouse Theatre QPAC – from October 9th 2026
Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre – from October 31st 2026.
Perth’s His Majesty’s Theatre – from January 7th 2027
Creative Team
Jordan Fein – Director
Julia Cheng – Choreographer
Tom Scutt – Designer
Joseph Stein – Book
Sheldon Harnick – Lyrics
Jerry Bock
Cast
Troy Sussman as Tevye
Alexis Fishman as Golde
Sigrid Thornton as Yente
John Waters as Lazar Wolf
Freya Boltman as Tzeitel
Ellen Ebbs as Hodel
Caity Plummer as Chava
Ben Adler as The Fiddler
Maxwell Simon as Perchik
Felix Star as Motel
Jacob Steen as FyedkaDanielle Barnes as Shandel
Nina Carmen as Rifka/Mirila
Romy Juliette Glass as Shprintze
Ksenia Teliatnikova as Bielke
Andrew Dunne as Mordcha
Damien Bermingham as Avram
Mark Doggett as Rabbi
Rubin Matters as Mendel
Anthony Sheppard as Sasha
Curtis Kossart as Russian 1
Patrick Whitbread as Russian 2
Alex Mulcahy as Yussel/Nachum
Nick Brown as Constable
Daniel Lopez as The Fiddler (Alternate)
Samantha Stewart and Hanlon Innocent as Swings
Christopher Tendai as Resident Choreographer & Swin
