WHEN Fiddler on the Roof comes to City Hall Theatre next week, it is bound to raise an age-old topic of debate in this day of modern marriages.

Should one forsake love to maintain tradition?

Set in a small Jewish village in Russia in 1905, the tale revolves around a poor dairyman's attempts to preserve his family's traditions. His five daughters, especially the three who are of marrying age - played by Jeane Butterfield, Jennie Campbell and Kelsey Bacon - don't make the job easy for him, however.

Each rebels against the family tradition of arranged marriage, opting instead for a marriage based on love.

"The first wants to choose her own husband instead of the man her father has selected for her who is wealthy and will take care of her, but old enough to be her parent," explained Ms Campbell, who plays Hodel, the second of Tevye's three rebellious daughters.

"My character wants to marry someone who is a revolutionary, someone who has new ideas and wants to go off and leave their village and change the world. She actually follows him, which is unusual. And the youngest, papa's favourite, wants to marry someone who isn't of the same faith."

Presented by the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, the musical is based on a book by Joseph Stern. A successful film, it also ran on Broadway for more than 3,000 performances. "I've always loved this production," said Mrs. Butterfield, who plays the eldest daughter, Tzeitel. "I saw it when I was a very little girl and I love its spirit; the way it shows the resilience of human spirit. How, when everything is taken away from you, you still have family and faith. It's an important message for our time.

"It's also great because it's a very theatrical version of Jewish life. I grew up in New York City and here in Bermuda, you don't see that - the incredible pathos, wit and history behind the Jewish culture. The girls are all meant to be between the ages of 16 and 19 years and so for me, at 36, it's strange to play the part in some ways. It's almost as if I'm revisiting my youth. It's a great chance to be 20 again at least for a couple of hours."

Miss Bacon, 17, plays Chava, the youngest of Tevye's three rebellious daughters, who also happens to be his favourite.

"The whole cast is very supportive of each other," she said. "It's as if we're a family unit which (made it easier for me as) the directors tried to establish in rehearsals a father/daughter relationship between my character and her papa. With me, he faces the greatest hurt, I think. I'm his favourite. I'm the bookworm. I'm the well-behaved child, the less outspoken daughter."

None of the three actors is new to the stage. Miss Bacon began performing with the Bermuda Civic Ballet Company in 1995 and, only last Christmas played the title role of Cinderella against Ms Campbell's Prince Charming in the annual pantomime at City Hall.

Mrs. Butterfield has worked in nearly every aspect of theatre production. In this role, she reprises the character she played while a student in high school. A talented singer, as well as an actor, Ms Campbell is soon to relocate to London to audition for parts there.

"(This production) has a huge relevance for me," she said. "In my role I sing a song, Far from the Home I Love, as I prepare to leave the village and in real life I am actually preparing to leave Bermuda for London and leaving is something that Bermudian children have to confront all the time as students.

"But I think many residents will be able to relate to (it) because there is such a strong community spirit in the village as there is here. As well, parents in every culture always have an idea - even if it's not voiced, even if they don't go so far as to arrange the marriage - of the kind of partner they want for their children.

"Today we have a choice but I think in many cases, where there was an arranged marriage (the couple) made a lot more of an attempt to make it work. It's something that becomes incredibly important in our marriages of today after that lovey-dovey feeling disappears. What's interesting with (Fiddler) is that it's filled with love songs which never actually mention the word love.

"When Tevye talks of how Jeane's character should marry the man selected for her, the criteria he uses are that (the potential husband) is rich, he's lonely, she'll never starve. Those are the aspects they consider. How he'll take care of her on an emotional level is not addressed."

Directed by Vanessa Gray, Fiddler on the Roof opens on Wednesday, October 8 and runs through Sunday, October 18 at the City Hall Theatre. Performances begin at 8 p.m. except Sunday, October 12 when there is a matinee at 3 p.m. Tickets, at $35, are available at the City Hall Box Office between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. Telephone bookings may also be made during office hour, at 292-2313.