ALDERNEY Week star Rosie Evans – great-niece of legendary film star Dame Julie Andrews – is to follow in her relative’s formidable footsteps next month.

Rosie, 19 (pictured), performed with the Alderney Blowers during last year’s diamond anniversary celebrations and won the event’s X Factor competition.

Since then she has taken part in a national brass band event with the Blowers, winning first prize at Butlins in Skegness and won the role as Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle in Brighton theatre group React’s production of My Fair Lady.

The role of Eliza was one of Dame Julie’s first on Broadway and paved the way for her career as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars.

Rosie – who is studying English, music and photography A-levels at Varndean College in Brighton – said Dame Julie, who used to own a property in Alderney, had sent her a message upon hearing about her getting the part.

‘She sent me a really lovely email when she found out I’d got the part to congratulate me and give me some really valuable advice.

‘Landing the role felt absolutely amazing, especially as there were a lot of people up for it.’

Despite being related to Hollywood royalty, Rosie has no plans to make it in Tinseltown.

‘Sydney Opera House is much more my scene,’ she said.

‘It’s a bit too early to say for sure what my ambitions are – all I know is that I would love for music to play as big a part in my life as possible.’

Rosie will perform as Eliza next week, shortly before taking her final A-level exams. After that, she hopes to holiday in Alderney at her family’s Auderville home, which was bought by her late grandparents, Lance and Dawn Walton, in the 1970s.

‘We try to come to Alderney as often as possible,’ said Rosie. ‘We always come for Alderney Week and I will definitely sing with the Blowers again if they ask me.’

*My Fair Lady will run at Brighton’s Theatre Royal from 2 to 6 June at 7.45pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on the Thursday and Saturday.

Bugsy Malone will be performed at St Anne’s School in two weeks’ time. The glitzy show was due to be showcased last week but had to be postponed by head teacher Mike Gaunt.

A disappointing dress rehearsal just two days before opening night convinced Mr Gaunt to give his young charges a further fortnight to prepare.

‘It was a desperate dress rehearsal and afterwards we decided there were three choices,’ he said. ‘We could say sorry to people as they left the show, cancel it altogether or postpone it and give the children more time to rehearse.

‘We decided to put on a show we can be proud of.’

Those who had tickets for opening night should attend on Wednesday 10 June. Tickets for the second night are valid for Thursday 11 June. Anyone who cannot make the new dates is eligible for a refund.