Theatre Review: Blood Brothers, Theatre Royal Brighton
Passion ran through this play like I’ve never witnessed before. From both actors and audience.
Summary
Rating: ★★★★★
Running Dates: 3rd October - 7th October
Where to see it: Theatre Royal Brighton
Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes (including interval)
Keywords: Passionate, Emotive, Talented
Review
Passion ran through this play like I’ve never witnessed before. From both actors and audience.
I was immediately amazed by the lady who sat in the seat next to me throughout. As we sat down, we began to chat, and she informed me she had seen this play 14 times.
As someone who has only ever studied Blood Brothers at GCSE Drama - I was blown away. I had always wanted to come to see the tale of the Johnstone twins, but I have never found the chance. I overheard another lady just in front explaining “I have been coming to see this play since Kiki Dee was in it, and still I’ll watch it every chance I get”. To be sat amongst an audience who were so loyal to this play, I knew I was in for a treat.
Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers' tells the story of two twins separated at birth, Mickey and Eddie. Worried she will not be able to feed two extra mouths, their struggling mother Mrs Johnstone gives one twin away to her wealthy boss Mrs Lyons. And so begins the rift of nature vs. nurture through socioeconomic difference.
The story is told and sung by Narrator, Danny Whitehead, who powerfully describes the emotions and anguish felt by the characters on stage. In every scene, he embellished the drama, humour and anguish of the story. I agree with my Bristol Girl Sister, who reviewed this show at the Bristol Hippodrome, that I felt the “characters acknowledged the narrators presence worked very well, in a way breaking that fourth wall”.
There are so many incredible elements of the cast, set and product that did justice to this show.
The powerful voice of Mrs Johnstone, by 2007 X-Factor Semi-Finallist turned West End Star, Niki Colwell Evans, pulled on heart strings. The audience felt her anguish, leading to a pin-drop silence when her singing stopped.
The growth of Mickey (Sean Jones) and Eddie (Joe Sleight)’s chemistry as they evolved from 7 to adulthood. Their one liners and charismatic energy led most of the laughter in the room.
The simple set design carefully depicted the socioeconomic background to the story. With a juxtaposition of old brick houses and graffiti covered walls to the green fields and styles in fresh countryside air.
And the songs played with the emotions of the audience – poignant, powerful, tearful, a light relief and catchy at the same time. Most notably, and a testament to how it’s captured such a loyal fanbase of all these years, the composition of the songs led us the story.
By the end of the musical, the audience was filled with tears, love and admiration. From new comers to loyal followers, the whole audience immediately stood up to give a standing ovation for a brilliant play. One audience member behind said “he’d never seen this many people stand-up at the end of a show”. It really was powerful. Thank you Blood Brothers.
Standout Moment: The final scene, the emotion filled the room and a full standing ovation shortly followed.
See if: You are looking for an emotional, thought provoking musical
Last Impression: A musical the justly tells the struggles of class divisions that remain just as meaningful today.
Similar Musicals: Billy Elliot
Written by Georgia