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Blood Brothers @ The Regent Theatre -Review
“Did y’hear the story of the Johnstone Twins, As like each other as two new pins. Of one womb born, on the self same day. How one was kept and one given away”
This week at the Regent Theatre, Hanley, Stoke on Trent is your chance to see the award winning musical Blood Brothers written by Willy Russell. It is the story of wins Mickey and Eddie who are separated at birth, one being raised in a poor family and one in a rich family. It is an interesting observation of Nature Versus Nurture, however, it does show the bond between the boys is strong throughout the show even though they don’t know they are twins. It is set is Liverpool where the show premiered in 1983 at the Liverpool Playhouse. Willy Russell is very good at writing about real people and projecting their, joy, their pain and their sorrow all of which these characters display at times. The matriarch of the show is Mrs Johnstone played brilliantly by Niki Colwell Evans. She is the birth mother of the twins. She sings her life story from ‘Marilyn Munroe’ to Tell Me It’s Not True’ with so much passion and talent. The Narrator, played by Richard Monday appears throughout the show likes everyone’s conscience reminding them and the audience of the risks they all take and possible consequences. When we meet the twins they are 7, very nearly 8, and continue up to their adult lives, Sean Jones is outstanding as Mickey and Jay Worley as Eddie equally so. All the cast handle the ageing of their characters in a subtle way. The young versions of the cast are so happy and carefree and you see their stature and manner change as they get older and their lives change. The songs in this show are beautifully written and so poignant with the upbeat Bright New Day to the slow Long Sunday Afternoon. I would urge everyone to go along and see this amazing musical. Blood Brothers runs at the Regent Theatre, Hanley Stoke on Trent until Saturday 1st October. Details of tickets and showtimes are via the link below:
