The first glimpse of the 60th anniversary My Fair Lady, directed by the original Eliza, opening next week in Sydney.

Looking back on the first production of My Fair Lady in 1956, Julie Andrews – the original Eliza Doolittle – remembers the buzz. “There was a kind of sense of excitement about the show, even then, so many people were talking about it,” she said. “But I don’t think anybody could have predicted the actual success that the show was.”

Nor could Andrews have imagined at the time that in 2016 she would be directing the 60th anniversary production of Lerner and Loewe’s hit musical in Sydney. The production will be a recreation of the original, with associates of the original design team coming on board to bring to life sets by Oliver Smith and costumes by Cecil Beaton. Channelling her mentor Moss Hart, who directed the original production, Andrews will also be bringing “one or two extra things” to the show.

^{Anna O’Byrne sings Wouldn’t it be Loverly as Eliza Doolittle}

Eliza Doolittle will be sung by Australian star Anna O’Byrne – chosen from more than 250 Eliza’s auditioned. “We have an...