Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers has been a hit for the past thirty years or so, growing in popularity from its early incarnation touring schools, to the massive musical production it is now. I studied it in drama at school (I played an awesome Eddie and Mickey, accents to boot) and went to see it as part of that class some eighteen years ago. I had no recollection of the play itself, but knew the general gist of the plot, and how it ended.
Danny Whitehead plays his part strong as the Narrator, almost always on stage, creeping in the background, or hovering hauntingly over Mrs Lyons (Paula Tappendon), who appears to be the only person to be able to see him for what he is, a metaphorical devil. Niki Colwell Evans plays the hard on her luck Mrs Johnstone, backed into a corner with no choice but to give up one of her new born twins to Mrs Lyons. Emotionally believable. Our introduction to Mickey Johnson (Sean Jones) is possibly the most fun part of the whole show for me. Full of energy and the perfect caricature of a seven year old boy. Jones stole the show for me, the transformation from that little boy, to the slurring, staggering, shadow of the person he used to be. I really felt for Mickey; I may have shed a tear. Gemma Brodrick did an equally good job as Linda, from the bubble school girl with a crush on her Mickey, to the wife at the end of her emotional tether, desperate for happiness again. The character of Eddie (Joe Sleight) got on my nerves a bit, he didn’t seem to change much as a young boy to his adult self. I couldn’t help but constantly think of Colin Firth.
The rest of the cast were all brilliant in their various parts, a notably humorous scene when Nick Wilkes switches professions from milkman, Gynaecologist . The musical numbers were performed well, with Marilyn Monroe, and Shoes Upon The Table taking us through the story.
Sets featured looking over the docklands in Liverpool, with the Liver Building standing proudly in the background, and the terraced houses of those trapped beneath the bread line; the alleyways in between a playground for the children.
If you ever wondered what would happen if twins were split at birth, find each other at seven years old, become blood brothers whilst unaware they’re actual brothers, get split up again, find each other again, and fall in love with the same girl, then this is the musical for you. It’s a musical of many themes; class, superstition, economic crisis, friendship, love, depression, and, to be honest, whatever other message you make personally take away from watching it. All of these make up for a beautifully put together story that has you captured from beginning to end.
Review by Johnny Banks
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