Fiddler on the Roof is one of the most famous musicals of all time. In fact, the most famous portrayals of the protagonist Tevye - by Zero Mostel and Topol - are two of the most iconic musical performances ever to have been seen on stage, or indeed in film. With that legacy to live up to, the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group (EUSOG) have a mammoth task to pull off with their upcoming production. But, even with this inheritance in mind, the company has launched itself whole-heartedly into the story of the poor Jewish milkman in the little tsarist village of Anatevka, trying to uphold his traditions in a world that is changing far too quickly for him to keep up.

The musical itself may have aged since its premier in 1964 but “it’s a tradition!” claims director Ailis Duff with a wry smile, “it is my favourite musical, the one I always watched with my family at Christmas time”. “I only propose things that I want to be in” agrees musical director Luka Bjelis. The whole team seems to be on board with this approach and seem to have made the whole musical a bit of a family affair. The crew has been united behind the folky character- driven show that they want to create.

This enthusiasm for the source material has been passed on to the energetic cast, who even after 5 hours of rehearsal are still scarily bubbly and enthusiastic. This was particularly noticeable after Duff asked the cast to “have fun with it”. They certainly took that direction. None more so than Stella Merz, portraying Tevye’s wife Golde, whose face lit up with the prospect and whose claim that one of the character’s wives was “a bitc…bitter old woman” had the whole cast, and me, in hysterics. The eponymous fiddler, played by Michael Poon, also went for his part with gusto and had everyone gaping at his skill as he deftly danced and played.

From the reactions they are getting from the crew, the cast certainly seem to be doing something right. “They have been really great,” says Duff, “everyone is meshing so well”. Meshing is an important word for this cast who have been drawn from all parts of the university, from almost every theatre company, whether they are musical or not. “Everyone has been pushing everyone else,” says Duff, “people have different strengths and people feed off that energy.”

In this show there seems to be a massive learning curve but also a lot of support, even for those who have not sung before. “Lots of people get scared at the thought of singing,” muses Bjelis, “but if I’m telling you you can sing - I’m not being big headed or anything - but you can sing.” And they certainly can. With time to spare before the opening night, iconic numbers such as 'Sunrise Sunset' and 'Anatevka' can already bring a tear to the eye and the faster numbers such as 'To Life' are raucous and fun.

Of course, shows like this are not all about music and acting but also about choreography, which has been taken on by Miriam Early, affectionately called Mim. “[It's] the little dance moves that make the show come alive,” beams Duff “Mim really is a genius.” This is not a surprising statement as the choreographer has taken such a diverse group of people and taught them all how to dance. This is especially impressive considering that such a large part of the cast have never before been involved with this kind of work. “Watching people who have never danced before has been incredible,” says Duff, “the crossover with the [Edinburgh] Footlights has been a great help with our routines”.

Overall, the whole show is looking touching, fun, and promises to light up poverty stricken 1905 Russia with both up-tempo singing and heartfelt tragedy.