One of the most successful musicals of 1980s (turning 40 this year, in fact), ‘Blood Brothers’ started life as a play for schools before developing into something far richer and more powerful. Written by Willy Russell, the classic “nature versus nurture” debate is explored in an emotive and heart-breaking story of the separation of fraternal twins, alongside class divide and depression. Told with a delicate balance of light and shade, the musical has seen incredible success in its four-decade history, and has an army of loyal fans. Having played over 10,000 performances in a near 25-year West End run, the show is enjoying the second half of a UK tour that began 2022, and runs this week at the Cambridge Arts Theatre.
Already raising a large family as a single mother, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans) falls pregnant once more, this time with twins. Knowing she’s unable to provide for two more babies, she reluctantly agrees to give one of the newborn boys to her employer Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley), easing her own financial burden while offering the Lyons’ the child they can’t have naturally. The show’s Narrator (Danny Whitehead) tells of the superstition that separated twins who learn they’re part of a pair are doomed to tragedy, so the mothers agree to keep the children apart and never speak of the others’ existence. A chance meeting seven years later sees young Mickey (Sean Jones) and Eddie (Joe Sleight) forming a firm friendship, much to the panic of both mothers, which only grows as the boys grow into young men and follow very different paths as an ominous foreboding looms overhead.
‘Blood Brothers’ plays in exactly the same way as it always has, and although there’s a current trend for reworking and reimagining musicals for a modern audience, this show feels like a moment captured in time, and this production (directed by Bob Thomson and Bill Kenwright) delivers it faithfully and with all of its inherent power. When shows reach a certain age, they tend to be referred to as either “timeless” and “stale”, and ‘Blood Brothers’ manages to invoke the former response, largely due to the strength of its story, flawed-but-real characters, and the haunting grip that it holds over its audience as the tragic events play out. It may well feel dated to the new generation raised on ‘Hamilton’ and ‘Six’ (not helped by a distinctly 80s score full of synthesisers and ‘EastEnders’-style “duff duff” beats), but it casts a potent spell and slowly tightens its grasp so that the masterful final scene still hits as hard as it ever did. It is an unashamedly long show (just shy of three hours with interval), and it takes its time with some book-heavy stretches that could stand a bit of editing, but the show works because the more invested you are in the Johnstone twins, the more that finale breaks your heart. Russell once famously said that while he may not have written the best musical, he might’ve written the best last five minutes, and the more times you see this show, the more that statement might be true. Brilliantly written, timed and performed, with some clever cast placement that really put the audience at the heart of the tension, it sears itself into the memory. Being immediately followed by the stirring “Tell Me It’s Not True” which appeared to leave the cast in tears on Press Night, it is undoubtedly one of the finest scenes in musical theatre.
Niki Colwell Evans is back as Mrs Johnston, and gives an incredible performance. Perfectly capturing the earthy grit of a desperate mother, Evans gives a rounded and touching portrayal, while also showing off those vocals that made her an X Factor finalist all those years ago, and we’re far luckier to have her as a theatre performer than a pop star. Sean Jones is back again as Mickey, having played the role on and off for two decades. He’s undeniably fantastic and gives an amazing performance, but should retire gracefully now, as the age difference in the scenes with the two brothers is distractingly apparent and removes some of the believability. Although for the show’s anniversary, perhaps we can allow it, as Jones really is brilliant. He’s supported wonderfully by Joe Sleight’s Eddie, whose endearingly-innocent “prim and proper” routine is skilfully played, and the two of them share a very strong chemistry. Gemma Brodrick also shows great range as Linda, delivering the journey from boisterous child to broken wife, and Danny Whitehead also does well as the ominous Narrator who haunts the edges of the stage and warns of what’s to come, showing off a great voice.
‘Blood Brothers’ gets better with every viewing (as the avid fans with their repeat visits will tell you), and the show still has an almost tangible power to bring tears to the eyes and audience members to their feet. A strong argument for the “if it ain’t broke….”rule of theatre, ‘Blood Brothers’ remains its true authentic self, and it does it brilliantly. A talented cast really do give their all, and this musical remains essential viewing for anyone who has yet to experience its power, and a rewarding night out for those returning to it again and again.
‘Blood Brothers’ runs at the Cambridge Arts Theatre until Saturday 5th August 2023 before continuing its UK tour until November.
Performance runtime 2 hours 50 minutes including interval
