NEED TO KNOW
- Fiddler on the Roof is currently playing its premiere season at the Theatre Royal Sydney, straight from a run in London.
- The multi-award winning production stars Troy Sussman as Tevye and Alexis Fishman as Golde, alongside Sigrid Thornton and John Waters.
- Troy and Alexis are both Jewish and say the story holds deep personal and family significance for them.
- After Sydney, the show tours to Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
Australia’s theatre scene is buzzing.
Straight off the stage in London, Fiddler on the Roof is currently playing its premiere season at the Theatre Royal Sydney.
Starring an incredibly talented cast, including Troy Sussman, Alexis Fishman, Sigrid Thornton and John Waters, the multi-award winning show is directed by Jordan Fein, choreographed by Julia Cheng, and designed by Tom Scutt.
Sitting down with New Idea, Troy Sussman (Tevye) and Alexis Fishman (Golde) tell us that they absolutely love working together.
Although they’ve never worked together before, they say they’ve always been in “each other’s orbits for many years”.
“I’m so proud to be telling this story with a fellow Jewish person,” Alexis says.
“I think we immediately understood each other and really supported each other… and I feel that on and off stage.”
Troy reveals that he has dreamed of playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.
“I had to reach the right age, and have the right experience to be able to lead a company to play Tevye,” he says.
“My father did the show four times, so it’s something that’s always been around and I’ve always wanted to do it – a bucket list item.”
Troy adds that he appreciates having Alexis by his side as it’s a “hard story to tell at times.”
“The emotional levels of both joy and sorrow we have to go through are really hard,” Troy says.
Fiddler on the Roof is set in 1905 in the little village of Anatevka, where Jewish milkman Tevye has tradition running through his veins.
With his wife Golde and five daughters at home, the time comes, one by one, for the matchmaker to set their children up.
But his daughters start choosing paths he never expected, pushing back against everything he holds dear.
As the world outside starts to shift too, Tevye’s left wrestling with a real question: Does he defend the old ways, or does he let his kids lead him somewhere new?
Alexis shares that she feels it’s a great time to be telling this story, and says playing Golde means a lot to her.
“This isn’t a role that I particularly needed to think too hard about or do any research on… this is my story and my people,” she says.
“I have a very close understanding of the language and of the rhythms and of who these people are,” she adds.
“It’s our history,” Troy tells us.
“My grandfather immigrated to Australia in 1926. He was a tailor, so he was the original model,” he says, adding “it tells our story – but this opportunity today, with this production, it’s so earnest. It’s so clear.”
The actor says “it’s like putting a magnifying glass on the conversations”.
“I think Jewish audiences will come and they’ll see their family in the history, their community on stage and feel akin to that,” Troy says with a smile.
He adds that those outside of the Jewish community may come and “learn something about another culture”.
“I think people will learn about the traditions, the history of the people and gain an appreciation for community,” he adds.
“This is a story about family, connection, love, and most importantly about how we live in a modern world.”
Catch Fiddler on the Roof, on now in Sydney before touring in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
For almost 125 years, New Idea has been Australia’s most trusted source for celebrity news, royal updates, and real-life stories. We don’t just share the news – we live it, verify it, and stand by it. Read more about us, our history, and our contributors here.
For more, save New Idea as your Preferred Source on Google here.
Share this post