British musicals have been wowing audiences since the 1700s. They have the power to produce tears of sadness and joy, to enrapture audiences with spellbinding songs and treat them to the most spectacular and magical moments ever to be seen on stage.

This lovingly crafted book explores the history, the drama and the story behind our most famous shows, ranging from the longest running, such as Phantom of the Opera, to one of the most financially successful, Les Miserables, and those that will always be remembered for their most unusual format, such as Cats.

The evolution of British musicals is a fascinating journey, and on this trip down memory lane we can once again enjoy the unforgettable performances, songs, actors, producers and directors, that brought magic into our lives.

Author Janey Fletcher has cherry picked 50 of the most popular musicals ever to grace the West End, those which have had the power to capture the imagination of the audiences of their day and become legendary events in the history of theatre.