THE Mayflower will open a brand new production of one of the world’s favourite musicals this autumn, the Daily Echo can exclusively reveal.

Fiddler On The Roof comes from the awardwinning producers of The King And I and High Society and is directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, Strictly Come Dancing judge and master of the musical stage.

Mayflower chief executive Michael Ockwell told Your Entertainment: “I am thrilled that we are launching this new production of Fiddler On The Roof alongside the Music and Lyrics consortium.

As part of The Mayflower’s new artistic vision, we want to collaborate with producers to start tours from Southampton. This will enable our local community to benefit by seeing amazing shows first and establishing Southampton as a place of culture for all.”

Fiddler On The Roof is one of the most popular and beloved of all stage musicals, brimming with memorable songs including If I Were a Rich Man, Matchmaker Matchmaker, Sunrise Sunset and To Life.

Tevye, the local milkman in his village of Anatevka, has always stuck by his traditions but suddenly his head strong daughters decide that they want to marry for love rather than accept whatever Yente the Matchmaker comes up with.

Tevye loves his daughters but has to convince his wife, and the villagers, that their decisions are actually falling in with tradition – not an easy thing to do but if anyone can do it, the wily Tevye can! Even if it means conjuring up ghosts of dead wives and scaring his own wife to bits in order to get her to agree.

Tradition is all well and good but, in the end, the world moves on, as do the villagers but maybe not for the reasons they would have liked.

Fiddler On The Roof was the longest-running production on Broadway for over 13 years.

The production will be staged at The Mayflower from September 5 to 14, prior to a UK and Ireland tour.