Blood Brothers At Blackpool Opera House Review

Reviewed by Cath Joyce

Last night we went to Blackpool Opera House to see the legendary musical Blood Brothers. Written by Liverpudlian playwright Willy Russell, the musical tells the story of twin boys, Mickey and Eddie, who are separated at birth – one is given away and the other kept. Their mother, Mrs Johnstone, already has seven children, is struggling to make ends meet and really doesn’t know how she will cope with two extra mouths to feed. Hearing her predicament, her employer, the wealthy but childless Mrs Lyons, persuades Mrs Johnstone to hand over one of her twins at birth.

Whilst both boys remain in Liverpool, they are brought up in totally different environments. Eddie is brought up in a rich household whereas Mickey stays with his birth mother and siblings in the inner-city slums. The boys don’t meet again until they are seven years old but immediately bond, becoming best friends and blood brothers. The musical tells the story of how they came to be separated, of Mrs Johnstone’s feelings of guilt and regret and how, despite not knowing they are twins, their paths keep crossing over the years. Eventually they both fall for the same girl which ultimately leads to tragedy and the truth is finally told. With themes of social deprivation, class, inequality, violence, and superstition the show is certainly thought provoking. That said it isn’t a depressing show, there is plenty of humour and well written songs to liven it up.

Presented by the narrator (Richard Munday), he tells the story of the brothers, taking us through the years and questioning the morality of what the characters are doing. He is always there lurking in the background, watching events unfold. This works well and helps tie the story together.

Sean Jones as Mickey and Jay Worley as Eddie were cast brilliantly as the two brothers, playing carefree children aged 7 “but nearly 8” through to teenage years, taking their first steps into adulthood and finally as adults, now having to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. In particular, Sean’s depiction of the young Mickey struggling with his mental health was excellent. This is Sean’s final tour as Mickey, having played him in regional theatres and in the West End since 1999 and he will be a very hard act to follow!

The star of the show though was Niki Colwell Evans playing Mrs. Johnstone. Almost always on stage she portrays the agonies of her decision to give her son away alongside the love for her children. As a former X Factor star she is no stranger to singing and she was simply amazing last night, especially in the last scene where she sings Tell Me It’s Not True. I have watched Blood Brothers a few times now and she is definitely the best Mrs Johnstone yet.

The large stage was transformed into a typical Liverpudlian street scene with a view of the famous Liver Building in the background. It looked effective and was quickly adapted to reflect the different locations in the story.

Despite tackling the very serious issues of class, poverty and mental health there was plenty of humour and we found ourselves on a rollercoaster of emotions, laughing one minute and almost crying the next. The musical was 3 hours long, including the interval, and the time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. When the show ended, the audience quickly rose to their feet for a very well deserved standing ovation.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £20.50 to £44.95 plus £1.50 restoration levy and a £3.95 booking fee

Blood Brothers is at Blackpool Opera House until 15th October, for more information or to book tickets visit https://www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/ or call the box office on 01253 629600