At Edinburgh’s staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, flamboyant teacher Miss Jean Brodie is unmistakably, and outspokenly, in her prime. A devotee of all things Italian – art, opera and Mussolini – and hater of the Girl Guides, Miss Brodie’s unorthodox teaching methods, and her dedication to “her girls”, set her on a collision course with the school’s rigid headmistress.

Fanatically devoted to their teacher, each member of the Brodie set will be “famous for something”, and Miss Brodie strives to bring out the best in each one. Determined to instil in them independence, passion, and ambition, Miss Brodie’s creed is: “I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders. Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life.”

All but one, as it turns out.

Jay Presson Allen’s famous adaptation brings out all the delicious irony and humour of Muriel Spark’s darkly witty novel, as well as flagging the inherent dangers of a strong influence on formative minds.

Vanessa Redgrave created the role on the London stage, followed by Australian actress, Zoe Caldwell, on Broadway. The 1968 film saw Maggie Smith win her first Oscar.