The musical Fiddler on the Roof is known to be realistic, humorous and surrealistic at once. The facets of this musical are still relevant to theatre-going audience.
Reading the script after 12 years has made Leila Alvares, who has brought this Jerry Bock musical to Bangalore for the second time, ponder on how little India has changed since the 1800s, the period in which this musical is set. “Never mind 12 years ago, the narrow-minded social and controlling religious attitudes towards women and backward superstitious beliefs are a few aspects that haven’t changed. I think audiences will definitely relate to the story line and hopefully realise how ridiculous and stupid we sound today, humorous though it may be,” says Leila.
Despite the humour, Fiddler is a tough act to follow. “I have shortened the script by a third and added more humour to a couple of scenes. Twelve years ago, we received a standing ovation for it. This time around, we have bettered the visual effects,” says Leila. Staging a musical is always a challenge with the interplay of voices, movements and acting. “The songs, dances and acting all put together differentiate a musical from drama. For us, it is always more challenging as I insist on live music and hand painted sets. I feel anything else is a cheat and you might as well go see a movie,” says Leila adding, “I have been blessed with the right people not just in terms of the roles they are playing but also in terms of how pleasant and easy it has been to work with them over the last 17 years.”
So stalwarts in theatre, including Tuffy, Prem Koshy and Arvind Kasthuri, have been with Leila year after year, adding flavour to one production after another. “You can’t beat experience and that’s what Prem, Arvind and Tuffy bring to my productions,” says Leila. She adds: “What is more important to me is the commitment and humility with which they perform any role I think suits them. Their sense of punctuality, their understanding that the show must go on no matter what and the extra mile that they voluntarily go is what I admire, respect and adore them for.”
As with each year, there’s new talent this time as well. “We have a few new actors and dancers. In the music department, four out of six musicians are new and three of them are medics. These young talents keep us old timers on our toes,” she quips. At the heart of it, Leila’s productions are about coming together for a cause and for the sake of music. “Every year I say this is the last, especially now that I am firmly ensconced in Coorg. But then, you can take the person out of the music scene but you can't take the music out of the person. My cast and the faithful fan following we have garnered over the years keeps bringing me back. Donating to worthy local causes is the icing on the cake,” beams Leila.
