Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Lionel Bart's musical 'Oliver!' opens to great acclaim. Alistair McGowan reads David and Caroline Stafford's biography.

Lionel Bart's new stage musical, 'Oliver!' opens to great acclaim. Read by Alistair McGowan.

Lionel Bart was a unique musical talent. He found fame with the hugely successful musicals Oliver! and 'Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be', but he was also a hit-making machine for some of Britain's first rock'n'roll stars - Tommy Steele, Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard, as well as giving the James Bond movie franchise its first song.

He socialised with figures from both serious and populist culture, and experienced a downfall that was as spectacular as his theatrical triumphs.

David and Caroline Stafford's biography of Bart draws on previously unseen archive sources and interviews with those closest to him.

Abridged by Julian Wilkinson
Produced by Emma Harding.

15 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 29 Dec 2011 09:45
  • Fri 30 Dec 2011 00:30
  • Thu 20 Oct 2016 14:45
  • Fri 21 Oct 2016 02:45

Listen to more Audio Books

Listen to more Audio Books

Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

Sample our books and authors Clip Collection

Interviews, previews and reviews

Subscribe to the Short stories podcast

Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.

Finding Your Story

Finding Your Story

Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?

大象传媒 Arts: Books

Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.