In a new commission by BBC Radio 2 for BBC Sounds, The Showstopper will be available from 19 March featuring Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey.

40 years ago the HIV virus, and the resulting disease AIDS, were named. It devastated people’s lives all over the world, including bringing immeasurable heartbreak to the theatre community of Broadway and the West End.

Theatre, however, became a voice of awareness, rebelling against the stigma present at the time. There were plays, one-man performances and musicals highlighting the disease and its effect 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 Miserables 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 Miserables, Oliver!), Claire Moore (The Phantom of the Opera), Craig Revel Horwood, Stifyn Parri (Les Miserables, Brookside), and Make A Difference charity’s Melanie Tranter.

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“The Robbery,” London, 1990. Barry James as Thénardier, Gay Soper as Mme. Thénardier, Stifyn Parri as Marius, Elizabeth Watts as Éponine, Øystein Wiik as Jean Valjean, David Burt as Javert.

We all know Barry and Gay’s Thénardiers from the CSR and they’re just as vivid here. Barry’s blend of funny and sinister is always spot-on, never more than when his affected “feeble old beggar” voice gives way to an unnerving “Wait a bit, know that face!” while Gay’s screechy, mean voice and funny fake sobs over her fake starving baby are equally perfect.

Stifyn sounds like a strong Marius with a warm, rich baritenor voice, while Elizabeth is a likewise strong-voiced, solid-sounding Éponine understudy.

Lisa Hull’s Cosette (I assume) lets out an epic scream when Thénardier shouts her name and the gang attacks. Kudos to her for being more than just a walking prop in this scene!

As in the other clips I’ve shared of him so far, David’s Javert sounds extremely driven, obsessive, and maybe a bit too growly. His “Could it be he’s Jean Valjean?!” sounds almost cartoon villain-ish. But I’m sure that in person, his ferocity was compelling to watch. I also like the soft way he songs “Let the old man keep on running...” as if he were talking to himself and forgetting that Thénardier and co. are still there, before he snaps back to the present with his fearsome “Everyone about your business!”

THE BROOKSIDE INTERVIEWS

Contents VIDEO INTERVIEWS WITH: MICHAEL STARKE (Sinbad); JOHN MCARDLE (Billy); LOUIS EMERICK (Mick); SUE JENKINS (Jackie Corkhill) ; MARK BURGESS (Gordon); STIFYN PARRI (Christopher) JUSTINE KERRIGAN (Tracy); GEORGE WILSON (‘Little’ Jimmy Corkhill); GABRIELLE GLAISTER (Patricia); STEVEN PINDER (Max); STEPHEN DONALD (Carl); ANNIE MILES (Sue); PAULA FRANCES (Diana); MICHELLE BYATT (Nikki); RENNY…

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Metropolis - Original London Cast 1989

A proshot capture of the original short-lived West End musical, filmed shortly before it closed. Considerable generation loss, but still very watchable.

Maria/Futura (Mary Lincoln u/s), Steven (Graham Bickley), Freeman (Brian Blessed), Warner (Jonathan Adams), Jeremiah (Paul Keown), George (Stifyn Parri), Jade (Lindsay Danvers), Groat (Colin Fay), Lake (Megan Kelly), Marco (Robert Fardell), Lulu (Lucy Dixon), Worker #1 (Kevin Power), Beso (Gael Johnson).

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— SQL Joker (@sql_joker) February 16, 2018

“For me as an actor who loves musical theater and was a cast member in the Les Misérables back in the 90s, I am immensely proud of what the theater community did back then. It been a moving experience for me telling this story, there was so much I was unaware of as I was so young at that time but it’s a time of such strength compassion and resilience that we should never ever forget.”

Jonathan Bailey narrating ‘The Showstopper’, a documentary on how HIV/AIDS impacted the theatre community in the 80s, and how this community supported those affected. You can listen to this incredible emotional and powerful documentary for the next 29 days on BBC Sounds.