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The Story of Musicals

Stephen Franklin

Juliet Rice

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Cameron Mackintosh

Tim Rice

Elaine Paige

Ron Moody

Bill Kenwright

Sheila Hancock

Harold Prince

Robert Stigwood

Tommy Steele

Paul Nicholas

Willy Russell

The Story of Musicals: Episode 1

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Music: Easy Listening, Soundtracks & Musicals

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Episode 1

BBC Four - The Story of Musicals, Episode 1

A look at how British musicals reclaimed the West End from American domination after WWII.

A look at how British musicals reclaimed the West End from American domination after WWII, with contributions from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh and Tim Rice.

Three-part series which tells how the British musical became a driving force behind musical theatre around the world - a tale of titanic shows, phenomenal daring, epic rivalries, prodigious talent and gargantuan fortunes, all set in just a single square mile. 

The first episode looks at how, from unpromising beginnings in the period after the Second World War, British musicals went on to reclaim the West End from American domination. Highlights include the quintessentially British show The Boyfriend and its failure to conquer Broadway, the riches-to-rags story of Lionel Bart and his masterpiece Oliver, and the extraordinary partnership of Sir Tim Rice and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, from the moment they burst onto the scene with Jesus Christ Superstar until their final collaboration of the 1970s, Evita.

Featuring first-hand accounts from the great and the good of musical theatre including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Sir Tim Rice, Elaine Paige, Ron Moody, Bill Kenwright, Sheila Hancock, Harold Prince, Robert Stigwood, Tommy Steele, Paul Nicholas and Willy Russell.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

How the British musical became a driving force behind musical theatre around the world

Series which tells how the British musical became a driving force behind musical theatre around the world - a tale of shows, daring, rivalries, talent and fortunes set in just a single square mile

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The Story of Musicals

Episode 1

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