Willy Russell's Blood Brothers - Review
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers Review at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford, Kent
Blood Brothers is a story of a family growing up through tough times in Liverpool, with seven children and twins on the way, the father upped and left, leaving Mrs Johnstone, a young single Mother barely being able to afford decent meals or toys for the kids and struggling to make ends meet.
At the end of her tether, she turns to her affluent boss, a lady who cannot have children and between them, they decide it would be better for everyone if Mrs Lyons secretly takes one of the twins and raises as her own ... There were serious emotional consequences for everyone involved.
Throughout the years, Mrs Johnstone’s heart was broken, Mrs Lyons was constantly scared that her son would find out, bringing her to a mental breakdown and the twins? Well they ended up accidently meeting and even though they couldn’t live a more opposite life, Mickey living a life of poverty and Edward being incredibly well off, they instantly shared a connection, became close friends … soul mates … Blood Brothers!
The mothers tried to stop the twins from seeing each other, but together they played, they grew, they partied, they loved, but the struggles of living life in poverty ruined Mickey’s life, until it all ends in tragedy….
Blood Brothers has been running for thirty something years and it is still a smash hit. Rightly so!
The magnificent cast tell the story with a huge sense of love and passion and the strong portrayal of the characters are easily convincing, the audience believing the adults were kids and the whole room feeling the pain of the Mothers, while willing the boys to bond and survive the connection. Niki Colwell Evans (Mrs Johnstone) Josh Capper (Mickey) and Jay Worley (Eddie) performances were outstanding. This is a show not to be missed!
Blood Brothers is currently on at The Orchard Theatre until Saturday 12th November 2022. To find out more and to book your tickets, please go to The Orchard Theatre’s website right here.
“A standing ovation for a truly deserving cast – 5 Ice Creams!”
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers
Directed by: Bob Tomson & Bill Kenwright
Starring:
Niki Colwell Evans, Jay Worley, Josh Capper, Paula Tappenden, Carly Burns, Richard Munday,Timothy Lucas, Tim Churchill, Nick Wilkes, Grace Galloway, Andy Owens, Melissa Potts & Jacob Yolland.