Blood Brothers at Storyhouse Chester Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Dottie Rood

What a privilege it is to be able to review the iconic, emotionally gripping and thought-provoking Blood Brothers. I saw it at the Storyhouse theatre in Chester which is a lovely mid-sized venue that is very close to the centre of Chester. It has good transport links and offers a variety of food options including snacks, big and small plates, bowls and bites and a variety of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Storyhouse is a charity that houses a library, an independent cinema, a restaurant, a community and creative social space and two theatres. The staff were very helpful and enthusiastic making us feel very welcome, so a good start to our evening.

Blood Brothers was written by Willy Russell, a born and bred Liverpudlian, in 1981 as a school play, its first performance had just five actors. It quickly expanded and had it’s first full musical performance, as it’s seen today, at Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. Although he wrote it in the early 80’s it was set in post-war Britain of the 60’s. Willy wrote Blood Brothers during the conservative rule of Margaret Thatcher when unemployment was very high, especially in Northern England’s working-class areas, and he set it in Liverpool. There is references to social inequality and the effects it can have on people’s lives, plus class divide and how the better educated you are the better you will do in life. Although this sounds slightly depressing the show is anything but!

The plot is told at the very beginning of the show by the narrator (played brilliantly by Kristopher Harding) who comes onto the stage were two stretchers are lying on the ground and the orchestra are playing, Tell Me It’s Not True, in a very haunting manner.

The play ultimately follows the lives of twins, Mickey and Edward, who were separated at birth. Mickey was brought up in poverty, working class, and Edward in wealth, middle class and they meet at 7, nearly 8, and become Blood Brothers when they realise they were born on the same date in the same year. From then they meet up throughout their childhood, their teenage years and into adulthood. This is done with humour, sadness, brilliant songs and brilliant acting.

It does this by starting at the beginning of how they became separated, how they grew up and how they eventually died (as explained this is mentioned at the very beginning so no spoilers).

The whole play touches on the differences in their lives due to Mickey and his family having no money, little education and very few opportunities to further themselves whereas Edward had money, an education and people to help him move forward. It touches on nature V nurture, nature being who we were born to, biology and genetics against nurture, our environment and life experiences, this is what made it thought provoking for me.

Tonight’s performers were all excellent, from the aforementioned Narrator to Vivienne Carlyle as Mrs Johnstone, Tricia Adele Turner as Mrs Lyons, Sean Jones as Mickey, Joe Slieght as Eddie, Beth Danher as Linda and all the other cast members. My real standout moment has to be the adults playing the part of children having a game of cowboys and Indians, it was brilliant and took me back to my own childhood. I also have to mention Sean Jones as Mickey and how he managed to ‘age’ and portray his despondency at the injustices’ he felt had befallen him, excellent!

This play has been around for a long time, and I won’t pretend there are not scenes that can be upsetting but it really is a must see. It makes you think, it makes you laugh, it makes you appreciate brilliant singers and brilliant actors and it keeps you entertained and on the edge of your seat for the whole performance.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from: £27.50 to £54.50 plus £1.50 booking fee.

Blood Brothers is at Storyhouse Theatre Chester from Tuesday 13th October 2026 to Saturday 17th October 2026. For more information or to book tickets visit www.storyhouse.com or call the box office on: 01244 409113

Storyhouse Theatre, Chester CH12AR