If size is an indicator of excellence, then The Fiddler would fall short. Staged in the modest Unicorn Theatre in Southwark with a young cast of unknowns on a small budget, the latest play by Faith Drama Productions boasts neither five star reviews nor huge multi-national sponsors.
Yet this small production is possibly the most acutely relevant, insidiously spiritual and unquestionably intelligent piece of drama ever written for a 21st century audience.
As a result of writer and director Gbemisola Ikumelo’s (a trained actress with credits including Holby City and The Lion King) intimate understanding of her subject matter, inner city youths, and because the wide-ranging themes explored in surprising detail are universally familiar yet expertly honed to concentrate on an East London estate, The Fiddler is not only an epic exploration of human nature and the unseen forces influencing it; it is a work of art that deserves to be showcased internationally.
The first half centres on five children captivated by the stories told to them by a woman who tends the flowers in their local park. She narrates the story, in beautifully written prose, about a mysterious fiddler who vows to avenge his eviction from a secret garden by wreaking havoc on the Gardener’s precious and vulnerable flowers.
The bright humour matches the scenery as the lives of each child and the adults caring for them unfold, with larger than life characters, poignant choreography and music that depict the children’s innocence and ability to believe.
There’s the West Indian church family looking after the shy Lena, boisterous Jasmine and her multi-racial sisters courtesy of her mother’s promiscuity, Lee and his bully brother, the sensitive Anthony and Femi ‘The African’ who has the funniest line in the whole play (‘Hello!’ has never being received with as much laughter as when he says it.)
The mood changes in the second half as the children become teenagers and shun the flower lady and her ‘crazy’ stories, but the start of their disbelief also marks the onset of their misery, anger, fear and vanity and they hurtle into adulthood as broken, abused and discontent individuals unknowingly under the malign influence of dark forces- the fiddler and his legion from the garden lady’s stories.
The allegory of God and the devil and loss of faith may be obvious to Christians, yet these powerful themes are only alluded to and expertly incorporated. The result is an authentic look at paradise lost and the unseen dangers lurking behind fame and fortune.
The Fiddler’s profound story-telling and handling of racism and abuse is impressive, and the character transformations are so vivid their stories stay with you days after the curtains close. The machinations used for story development (newscasters, dance intermissions, voiceovers) are inventive and the result is a rich tapestry of thought and action that hold the audience spell bound.
The greatest pity is that the play only runs until Saturday 16th, but despite its short run and small production, The Fiddler packs an almighty punch Broadway will be proud of.
The Fiddler is showing at The Unicorn Theatre in London until 16 August.
For tickets and more detail visit: www.faithdrama.org.uk
