Main content
This programme is not currently available

The Showstopper

HIV/Aids brought immeasurable heartbreak to the theatre community in the 80s and 90s. Jonathan Bailey tells the story with contributions from those in the West End at the time.

40 years ago the HIV virus, and the resulting disease Aids, were named. It devastated people鈥檚 lives all over the world, and brought immeasurable heartbreak to the theatre community of Broadway and the West End.

Theatre, however, became a voice of awareness, rebelling against the stigma and the destructive advertisements at the time. There were plays, one-man performances and musicals highlighting the disease and its effects on people, spreading messages of hope and support and helping to quash hurtful and misleading information.

In this programme, actor Jonathan Bailey, who performed as a child in Les Mis茅rables in the West End at the time, tells the story of HIV/AIDS impact on the theatre community, and tells how this community supported those affected. This documentary includes powerful stories from those at the heart of the theatre community at the time, including producers Cameron Mackintosh and Nick Allott, lyricist Tim Rice and musical director Jae Alexander, alongside performers such as actor and activist Jill Nalder (Les Mis茅rables, Oliver!), Claire Moore (Phantom of the Opera), Craig Revel Horwood, Stifyn Parri (Les Mis茅rables, Brookside) and Make a Difference charity鈥檚 Melanie Tranter.

A Telesgop production.

57 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 Mar 2023 03:00

Broadcast

  • Sun 19 Mar 2023 03:00