Blood Brothers at Birmingham Hippodrome Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Julie Hayward
Blood Brothers is a musical that I have wanted to go to see for a very long time. My last visit was sadly cancelled due to lockdown, so it always felt like an opportunity missed. I am so grateful that this iconic show has continued touring. And my goodness I was not disappointed! It truly is, what I think of, as a grown-up musical. Last year was the 40th anniversary of Blood Brothers opening at The Liverpool Playhouse, it went on to have a 24-year run on the West End.
The story, written by Willy Russell and produced by Bill Kenwright is a powerful and emotional mix of brilliant acting, superb singing, and fascinating storytelling. Set in Liverpool, we follow the lives of two brothers, separated at birth.
But first we meet our leading lady Mrs Johnstone, played by Niki Colwell Evans. Who in the opening number, ‘Marilyn Monroe’ we see her quickly go from; a courting teenager, to a wife, a mother, and then her cheating husband leaves her as a single parent. Struggling to make ends meet, with seven children and another on the way.
She takes a job cleaning for a childless couple, and when the baby she’s expecting turns out to be twins, her employer, the wealthy middle-class Mrs Lyons, played by Sarah Jane Buckley, hatches a plan, that she should give her one of the babies, to bring up as her own. They agree to a pact ‘in the name of Jesus, that no one must ever know.’
The role of the narrator, Scott Anson, is unusually not only to tell the story, but he points out the morals and consequences of the woman’s actions, his song ‘Shoes Upon the Table’ reinforces the superstitions of the beliefs that haunt the two women.
I enjoyed how repeated songs are used throughout, they may have had the same lyrics, but as the lives of the characters progressed, they took on a new meaning. The writing is phenomenal, with monologued poetic pieces entwined in the script, it is no wonder that the text is studied by students in school.
Credit must go to the actors, who are totally convincing as children, teenagers and finally into adulthood. Sean Jones, ‘Mickey’, Joe Sleight , ‘Eddie’ and Gemma Brodrick, ‘Linda’.
Mickey is the youngest child of the Johnstone family, is told his twin had died at birth, and his best friend (even though she’s a girl) Linda, meet Eddie, the twin who has had a privileged upbringing, despite this they are drawn together and when they realise, they share the same birthday, they become Blood Brothers, and the three lives are entwined.
You really get a sense that Willy Russell has known these characters he has written about, he has played out all day with those scruffy kids in the streets of Liverpool and seen first-hand the injustices of the class system.
But it’s the pure emotion of the women, that brings the performance to a climactic close, I don’t think I have ever been overwhelmed to tears by such an impactful performance before.
It is a powerful show to watch and has cleverly mix of humour, but it is the skill of the writing that lets you laugh and cry for the characters. It has been a privilege to be in the audience, and not one I will forget in a hurry.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £26
https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/blood-brothers-four/
Blood Brothers is at Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre from Tues 30th April to Sat 4th May 2024
For more information and to book tickets call 0844 448 5000 or visit www.birmigham hippodrome.com
Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre, Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TB