Blood Brothers

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers has been performed and acclaimed the world over in its 25-year existence. And though it is far from perfect, in either its writing or in execution, it remains a very moving story filled with poignance.

Mrs Johnstone has had worse luck than most: married young, abandoned by her husband and stuck with too many children. After she finds herself pregnant with twins her childless employer, Mrs Lyons, offers to raise one as her own.

Fearing destitution, Johnstone agrees, allowing one of her children to live in luxury while the other remains with her in poverty.

Years later and the twins, Mickey Johnstone and Eddie Lyons, meet, and become best friends, or ‘blood brothers’. The piece then follows two tracks: the boys’ coming-of-age story and the struggle the friendship creates between the mothers as they fear the discovery of their secret.

It isn’t the most original story, and it is loaded with clichés, but it still holds up rather well. It’s also impressive that Russell has written everything: book, lyrics and music. His book does tend to ramble on a bit, with many scenes lasting longer than needed, but it does contain wonderful moments and numbers, especially the finale Tell Me It’s Not True, perhaps one of musical theatre’s greatest songs.

Blood Brothers isn’t the usual musical one finds on Broadway or in the West End. It actually has far more in common with Brecht or John MacGrath’s work with 7:84 than it does with Webber or Mackintosh spectacles, which may be why it didn’t excite many American critics. But the play’s political simplicity is its greatest strength: the focus on character rather than big numbers or theatrical pizzazz means that one cares far more about the characters.

Heading the cast is Maureen Nolan, who follows in the footsteps of a few of her sisters as Mrs Johnstone. She may not be the best actress, but she sings well and manages to create a believably complex and sympathetic character. Simon Willmont’s Eddie is a joy as he manages to capture the character’s innocence and earnestness. Sean Jones, however, is not as successful as Mickey. Though he plays the part well, he has major projection problems, especially in the second half when most of his non-sung lines are almost impossible to hear.

As for the production itself, it is pretty much as it was in the 1980s. And while the direction is solid and the design concept good, the production is starting to look its age. Things seem to move a bit creakily at times and some of the urgency in the dramatic action has been lost.

It may have flaws, but Blood Brothers is still potent theatre. It is a production more than deserving of its acclaim and reputation, and it has every right in being considered a modern classic.