Fifty-three years after Fiddler on the Roof was first performed on Broadway, a Yiddish version of the much-loved musical is set to hit the stage.

The National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene, in New York, has translated the story of Tevye the milkman and his fellow Jews of the shtetl of Anatevka back into its original language, so to speak - the stories by Sholem Aleichem which the stage production was based on were written in Yiddish.

In a statement, chief executive Christopher Massimine said the production would include a twist - imagining that the Aleichem “was present at the conception of the adaptation of his work for the musical stage.”

Mr Massimine added: “The idea we are putting forth would be an accurate re-creation of how this musical might look in its native Yiddish tongue.”

Sheldon Harnick, who wrote the lyrics to the original 1964 Broadway show, will be a consultant for the production. Acclaimed stage director Jerry Zaks will also be an adviser.

The Yiddish production will be performed at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York next July.

The original musical, starring Zero Mostel as Tevve, ran on Broadway for eight years and won nine Tony Awards.

The 1971 film adaptation, starring Chaim Topol, was nominated for eight Oscars, and won the award for best music.