It’s 1905 in the tiny village of Anatevka where Tevye, a Jewish milkman, lives his life by their proud traditions. For his five daughters, that means a visit from the matchmaker. As each daughter challenges his beliefs, against the backdrop of a changing world, can Tevye hold on to his roots, or must he bend to the will of his children and learn to embrace the unfamiliar?
Fiddler on the Roof is one of the greatest musicals of all time with one of the finest scores ever written featuring: If I Were A Rich Man, Tradition, Matchmaker and Sunrise, Sunset.
This classic musical of joy, revolution and community is an exuberant celebration of love and life – and it’s coming to Bristol Hippodrome this summer from 26-30 August.
This will be the first UK tour of this classic musical in more 12 years – offering Bristol audiences a rare opportunity to see this musical masterpiece in an acclaimed new production, led by the powerhouse creative team of director Jordan Fein (Oklahoma, Young Vic), choreographer Julia Cheng (Cabaret) and designer Tom Scutt (Tony Award winner for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Cabaret), direct from the West End. See listings below for venues.
Leading the cast in this spectacular, Olivier award-winning production direct from its current summer season at London’s Barbican Theatre are Matthew Woodyatt as Tevye, Jodie Jacobs as Golde and Olivier Award nominee Beverley Klein as Yente. Co-stars are Natasha Jules Bernard as Tzeitel, Georgia Bruce as Hodel, Hannah Bristow as Chava, Ashleigh Schuman as Shprintze and Georgia Dixon as Bielke.
We caught up Matthew Woodyatt ahead of his arrival in the city, to find out more about his experience taking on the iconic lead role of pious, poor milkman (and father to several daughters) Teyve…
What drew you to the character of Tevye, and what have you discovered about him in your preparation?
Tevye is one of the most famous roles in all musical theatre so it’s been at the back of my mind for a very long time – the hope that one day I may get the chance to play him. There have been many, many discoveries when rehearsing and playing Tevye but the ultimate one is that he contains multitudes; humour, love, silliness, anger. He is one of the most complicated and wonderfully multi-faceted of creations and a real gift for an actor.
How are you striking the right balance between Tevye’s humour and his deeper struggles?
The balance is a fine one – and at times a tricky one. The script and score are your main guide to finding it but your work (and play!) with your fellow actors is the real key to inhabiting the balance of energies and emotion that each scene and relationship needs. Excitingly, this can change and develop from show to show so the search for the balance becomes a wonderful tightrope walk that you go on every night.
Why do you think this story’s themes of tradition, change, faith and community still resonate so strongly with audiences today?
I think this musical will always be relevant and resonant. On the wider political aspects of the piece, any time this musical is staged a community somewhere in the world is unfortunately going through the same things that the inhabitants of Anatevka are. The more domestic and familial themes are so universal that everyone in the audience will be able to relate very easily and very deeply with someone’s predicament on stage.
Have you performed in Bristol before, and do you have any fond memories of the city or its theatrical venues?
I’ve never performed in Bristol before but I have very fond memories of the city and particularly of the Hippodrome. When I was growing up in the South Wales Valleys during the ’80s and ’90s, the Millennium Centre in Cardiff was a distant dream so my first memories of big musicals was my family’s trips to the Hippodrome. We saw Phantom, Sunset Boulevard, Beauty & the Beast and many others so it’s amazing to be back here walking in the footsteps of the performers I watched 30 years ago.
How do you and the cast connect with the world of Anatevka, and what helps you step into that space for each performance?
The world of 1905 Anatevka could feel like a long way from us here in Britain in 2025, but the heart and spirit of the community is very easy to access because our company is full of such wonderful people – we’ve created a thriving community offstage that mirrors the shtetl we conjure every night on stage. We’ve also had amazing support from Rabbi Rose Prevezer, who has held space for the cultural and historical aspects of the show and allowed us to inhabit a potentially distant world with real honesty and commitment.
For many people, If I Were a Rich Man is one of the most recognisable songs in musical theatre. What’s it like to perform such an iconic number, and how do you make it feel fresh and personal?
It’s a complete gift! And slightly daunting(!) as it is one of the most famous and brilliant ‘I Want’ songs ever written. Very often the number is staged with Tevye completely alone with his thoughts, but in our production it is actually a duet/conversation with our ever-present Fiddler. Having someone to play the song with every night makes it feel less like a turn and more like a fresh discovery of new ideas and dreams.
How do you keep your performance grounded and consistent amid the change and upheaval that comes with touring?
The company of around 60 performers, musicians and our amazing technical departments create such a village on the road that everyone feels that they have an extraordinary safety net. We look after and support each other hugely and when other things like the playing space or backstage journeys alter, the people that surround you are completely consistent and help to keep any panic or worry at bay.
How does playing Tevye compare to previous roles you’ve taken on? Has it challenged you in new ways?
It’s a real shift for me. I’ve been very lucky in my career to play some amazing roles at some of the country’s best theatres, but leading a company as Tevye is something else. The role is a wonderful challenge every night and I tend to end the evening in a state of elated exhaustion! Being the engine of a show of this size is a new thing for me too but it is a complete honour to be offered that challenge and one I revel in every time the curtain goes up.
Why should Bristol audiences make sure not to miss this show?
Quite simply, it’s a masterpiece – one of the most brilliant books and beautiful scores you can hear and the world is populated with such glorious characters that every moment of laughter or tears is thrilling. Our director, Jordan Fein and our choreographer Julia Cheng have taken this masterpiece and explored it with such care and respect and theatrical genius that whether it’s your first time seeing Fiddler or your 21st, there will be some wonderful things to discover.
Book your tickets to Fiddler on the Roof at Bristol Hippodrome (26-30 August) here
