BrassNeck’s Fiddler proves to be a showcase for young talent

BrassNeck Theatre have assembled an extremely talented and experienced cast for their next production Fiddler on the Roof which will be performed at Yeadon Town Hall next month. Three of the youngest and newest members of the company have all worked extensively in professional theatre.

The three girls, Sophie Downham, Talia Monnickendam and Lydia Bradd, play three of Tevye’s five daughters in the production. Sophie, a student at SCALA theatre school in Horsforth recently starred in her most exciting role to date when she portrayed Young Cosette in the 25^th anniversary tour of Les Miserables. The tour included appearances at London’s O2 arena, The Barbican, Norwich, Manchester and Paris. Theatregoers may also recognise Sophie as she played the title role in Annie at the West Yorkshire Playhouse last Christmas and Martha Cratchitt in Scrooge at The Alhambra. Talia, a student at Woodhouse Grove School, is a member of Opera North Children’s Chorus and appeared with them in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades touring several cities in England including London. She has also sung in several evening, charity concerts with singers from Opera North and has won prizes in various local singing festivals. Not to be outdone, Lydia, who attends Harrogate Ladies College, has also played Annie in the national tour of the show as well as starring in the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

BrassNeck’s director Royston Bayfield is in no doubt about how lucky the company are to have such a wealth of talent in their production ‘BrassNeck has a reputation for producing theatre of a professional standard and we’re very lucky to be able to call on professionally trained actors to regularly perform in our productions. Having the three girls to add into that and make our production even stronger is a real privilege to the whole company’ he said ‘the girls are fantastic in rehearsal and I am sure this production is going to be superb with them involved.’

Fiddler on the Roof tells the tale of Tevye, a poor dairyman, as he tries to instil in his five daughters the traditions of his tight-knit Jewish community in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Fiddler On the Roof was made famous by Topol after his memorising performance as Tevye in the 1971 film of the musical. It has touched audiences around the world with its humour, warmth and honesty. It’s universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy and sadness.

BrassNeck Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof will be performed from 13-17 Nov at 7.30pm each evening Tickets can be booked either by ringing the box office on 0113 2505011 or online at www.brassnecktheatre.com