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Well, after I had seen Blood Brothers all I could do was cry.  It is the best and by far the saddest thing I have ever seen in my life.  I was amazed at the fantastic use of songs, lighting and the eerie atmosphere the show creates.  

The actors were not only amazing but perfect for the roles and they
were brilliant singers. The storyline is all about growing up and how you should remain as a child.  I am only 14 but the show has taught me that you are only a child for 18 years so accept it.  I don't want to grow up; I want to be a child forever, when you see the play you see the characters growing up and turning into adults.  I never want to be an adult.  

The songs touched me and made me realise how to value life and our family.  This is the best play I have ever seen in my life and I have seen a lot as my mother loves the West End.  I would definitely go again and again and again.  Tell me its not real,
say its just a story.........
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Wow, yes wow! How can you beat Blood Brothers?  The review on the Blood Brothers poster is so correct.....'If you haven't seen it go and see it and if you have then see it again,' nothing could be truer. 

I went on a school visit to see Blood Brothers and the over all complete hysteria the show created was enough to make any one cry.  Out of 70 odd girls aged 14-15 about 80% were crying their eyes out because they loved the show so much. 

You love the characters as you see them grow up on stage, deteriorating one by one.  Not only do you get to love the characters, you get to love the songs they sing.  The sound track to Blood Brothers is totally unmissable, with hits such as 'Marilyn Monroe' and 'Tell me its not true.' 

Please go and see Blood Brothers because you will be amazed at the versatility of actors in the West End, and be startled by the truly wonderful sound of angelic voices.

Sarah Dean aged 15
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After seeing the most triumphant play "Blood Brother's" I was overwhelmed with emotion and excitement. It was such an excellent play that the next day I was advertising it to everyone I met, declaring that they MUST see it.  

The characters could be easily related to so by the end of the play it was like you knew them.  This made the ending even more upsetting and for the first time ever I actually cried at a play!!!  I especially loved Mickey because he was such a dude.  

Everyone has to see this play because everything about it is wonderful.  The songs are brilliant and the acting exceptional.  See it, see it now!

Katherine Rolfe
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Blood Brothers had everything. Brilliant actors and singers, fantastic musicians and amazing scenery. I enjoyed the play from beginning to end. It was funny and sad and overall just brilliant!

The whole play lead up to the ending really well bringing it up to the ultimate climax. It was really well directed and the script was 
brilliant. Thank you to the cast for giving me a great evening!! I can't wait to see it again!

Louise Langer
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I thought that Blood Brothers was one of musicals I have ever seen. It had amazing set design and costume and it was very very emotional. I cried all though the second half because the actors were so good I felt that the characters were real.

Amylase Winklestein
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I agree with all the comments I've read. The music and acting is so emotional, I was crying rivers at the end. My wife didn't come with me, so I was explaining the story line, and again ended up in tears. It's not only sad its extremely funny as the kids grow up. 

I've seen "Miss Saigon", "Les Mis", "Phantom", "Annie", "Cats" and 100's more, but without a doubt this is the funniest & saddest and most emotional musical that I've ever seen. 

P.S. My son is 8years old and he absolutely loves the music, and wants to see it for his 9th birthday present!

K. C. Bowen - Gwent, South Wales.
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Just seen it for the 8th time in 8 years (December 2002)! It's STILL the best, most heartbreaking musical out there! I never get enough of it. 

If you only have time/money to see one show this is THE show to see. Linda Nolan's playing Mrs Johnstone and her voice is just so amazing, gives you goosebumps to hear her sing.
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I thought "Blood Brothers" was an excellent play. The way the characters were so believable, the way they were growing up and the way they showed there enthusiasm. Also, the way Mickey needed his tablets at the end of the play and the way Mrs Lyons was so anxious to move a way from Mrs Johnstone and the twin Mickey.

The way the play was written and the way it was acted out it was the best experience at the theatre I have ever had, it made the play seem that I was watching normal everyday life through a glass.

Thank you for a wonderful experience and thank you to the cast of Blood Brothers for making it so real.

Paul Sandell. 
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I have seen numerous West End Musicals but the performances in Blood Brothers last night (1st May 2003) has to be the best - an emotional rollercoaster for cast and audience. 

'Mrs Johnston', 'Mickey' and The Narrator deserve special mention.

The music certainly isn't the greatest but the story line and performances more than made up for it. Don't miss it.
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I have only seen the show with Linda Nolan playing the lead but I have now seen it 6 times and each time I enjoy the show just that little bit more. 

I leave the theatre on a real high knowing that I will have to go again. I first saw it on a wet cold Saturday afternoon and left the theatre in a rain storm but had to rush to HMV to buy a CD of the show. 

I would recommend the show to any one and friends who I have told about the show always thank me after they have seen this truly brilliant show. 

Mike Melbourne
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I'm studying drama for GCSE (British examination taken at 16), and we're doing coursework on "Blood Brothers". I went to the phoenix theatre with my school, to see the show...and it was FANTASTIC! I'd love to go and see it again!

The people who played, Linda, Mickey, Eddie, Mrs Johnstone, and the narrator were brilliant! Linda Nolan (Mrs Johnstone) and Philip Stewart (the narrator) have got really strong voices...they sound excellent!

I'd recommend it to anyone- and I'd love to see it again...it's the 
funniest, yet saddest and emotional musical I've ever seen!

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Having seen Blood Brothers a few times at the end of the 80s/early 90s - in the days of Kiki Dee and Sarah Lancashire (later to be Raquel in "Corrie" - British soap opera "Coronation Street") we decided to take advantage of the tremendous (August 2003) SOLT offer of best tickets for £15. 

We saw the show on a very hot Thursday 7th August - don't believe the advertised air conditioning exists/was working and had 3 central seats in the second row of the Dress Circle. The stalls were pretty full and the Dress about half full. The audience was mainly tourists.

The show itself was as good as I recalled - memorable without being really deep and complicated. The humour continues to shine through and the songs while being similar are pleasant enough.

The acting was on the whole good with excellent performances from Stephen Palfreman (Mickey) , Louise Clayton (Linda) and of course Linda Nolan who was quite magnificent as Mrs Johnstone. There were one or two weaker cast members and some of the Scouse accents were a little questionable - I hail from Merseyside - but that is a minor point and didn't detract from the evening.

Palfreman and Mark Hutchinson (Eddie) conveyed with exceptional skill the growing up from 7 year olds through the teenage years to being young adults. 

The second act is the stronger in my opinion and to see Mickey's descent into despair was particularly moving. Despite having seen it before the ending still managed to make me jump. The audience that night were moved from laughter to tears during the evening and quite rightly gave the whole cast a standing ovation.

I would recommend seeing Blood Brothers - for those who haven't seen it you have a treat in store and for those who like me saw it a while ago it definitely repays a second viewing. Beware though if you take children there is some pretty ripe language. Best of all if you can go before the end of the month (August 2003) it is only £15 - a real bargain.

Michael Entwistle
Harrow, 
Middx. 
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I'm also studying this play for GCSE (British examination taken at 16) and thought Stephen Palfreman was absolutely brilliant! He makes me laugh so much, he's great at making the audience fall in love with the character Mickey but it was a shame I didn't get to meet him and tell him in person.

Well done to everyone involved and Willy Russell for creating this fantastic play.

I really want to become an actress in theatre or film or even both! This play has given me my next goal which is to play Linda in Blood Brothers. I love her character because she's so sweet and adorable. 

Caroline Pearce
December 20th 2003
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I did "Blood Brothers" at school for GCSE and went to the Phoenix Theatre to watch it. It was so "AMAZING", and I still have the ticket which I had when I went to watch it. 

I thought the characters were fantastic, and I hope that when anybody goes and watches it they will love like I loved it when I watched it. I was only 15 when I saw it, and in the future I wish to watch it again and again because its one of my favourites. 

Ashley Hollingsworth
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What can I say? The show is untouchable. Incomparable. Unbeatable.

After seeing around ten musicals in theatreland, and many others (although not live), I realised that I had completely missed "Blood Brothers" on my hit list. And what a mistake that would have been...

Anyway, as it was, we booked in advance and got three £40 tickets in the centre of row C of the Dress Circle (you just can't sit anywhere else for musicals) at half price. So we went along after hearing the CD a few times over and realising there was a heck of a lot of talk about Marilyn Monroe, and that emotionally, it was fairly powerful.

This very quickly proved to be the greatest understatement of my life! The staging was largely superb, with the beginning wonderfully gripping the audience, and the first half an hour really pulled you deeper and deeper in to the story with the gritty realism and wit, not to mention the song 'Easy Terms' which certainly brought a tear to my eye.

I must admit finding the last few minutes of this half dragged on, went nowhere and had rather dull and predictable comedy in them, almost cringe worthy, but they did set the second half's glorious crescendo of emotion up.

I was so involved in the second half, I'm not sure I continued to breath. Never before have I been so captivated in the West End. the surge of anticipation, the drama and excitement that made you shiver in your seat, and the constant surges of emotion the cast conveyed across the audience.

As for the last ten minutes, I have never been more moved or touched in my life. It brought me to tears (along with half the audience). 'Tell me it's Not True' was staged, sung and written beautifully, and if you want a deep, gutsy performance then look no further.

Willy Russell is genius. Lyn Paul (Mrs Johnstone) is the best performer I have ever seen on stage. her voice is awe-inspiring.

A must see. Within six months I have now seen it four times, and am going back twice more within a week or two...and every time I come out in tears.

Alf
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I saw Blood Brothers for the second time on Wednesday (17th March 2004) and I can whole-heartedly say that I enjoyed it more this time than the last.

What made it for me was Mark Hutchinson (Eddie) and Stephen Palfreman (Mickey).  I'd seen them both the first time and was thinking that it was probably too much to ask for them to be there again.  However, they are what made it for me.   

What shocked me also was that they are all round nice guys even out of the public eye.  So many actors (and I've met and worked with a load) are so 'I'm a star worship me'... It wouldn't be so bad if they had even an ounce of talent that these guys have.

I could go on forever about the show but all I'll say is that if you haven't seen it - go.. and if you have seen it - go and see it again.  And if you get chance to see Mark and Stephen you'll see what I mean.

Incidentally you can find a pic of them at the top of the main listings page! 

S.R. Chambers
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Today (1st April 2004) I saw this show for the second time after seeing it a couple of years ago when I found the whole thing too depressing. This time however I mostly enjoyed the show.

Lyn Paul who played Mrs Johnstone was fantastic and her rendition of "Tell Me It's Not True" brought tears to my eyes. Some of my more negative thoughts about the show were: the narrator's accent which was absolutely dreadful - he really got on my nerves; and the band seemed to be made entirely of bad 80's keyboards and electric drum kits that in my opinion ruined some of the beautiful songs. The show was very funny in places and the actors who played the kids had the whole audience in hysterics.

"Blood Brothers" is definitely a very good show though not as good, I must say as most of the other West End long runners eg. "Phantom" and "Les Mis".

I give it 7/10

Eddy Bernstone
age 14
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On the 2nd April 2004 I went with school to the musical "Blood Brothers". It was amazing. I must say: I’m from Belgium. We came to London for lot a things but what I always will remember is that musical. 

We enjoyed of the musical. I like to see it back. But I have a very busy diary (with homework and lessons of course). 

And for the actors I have to say: you’re playing wonderful. 

Wendy from Belgium.
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Saturday 7th August 2004. Today we went to see Blood Brothers at the Phoenix (London). We sat in row B, seats 19/20 of the Dress Circle. These seats were chosen as a result of using the theatremonkey site. The view was fantastic, we could see every angle of the stage, the scenery and the actors/actresses faces VERY clearly!!!

Having never seen this show before (and being mad about "Les Mis") we were not sure what to expect. When the narration started our reaction was 'Oh no I hope it's not like this all the way through!'  However, once the singing started and the deep and meaningful lyrics rang through us, we were captivated !!!

The clever way that the cast of 13 play over 20 characters, is amazing. The speed and precision used as they swap from one role to another deserves a standing ovation of its own.  The first half, although a very powerful storyline, was the comical half, followed by the second half being very emotional (if not a little predictable). 

All in all we think it is a very very good show and we will go and see it again.. in the winter. Phoenix theatre is just toooo hot !!! To anyone who hasn't seen it...GO!!  It's a sad storyline but has happy parts, the songs ring round your head for days after and it makes you laugh. Not much to buy in the way souvenirs, so put your money towards a good ticket and go see for yourself. 

Liza and Stuart (Middlesex)
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One word sums up the current production of 'Blood Brothers' - flawless.

The storyline for the show is implausible, but the quality of the performances of Lyn Paul (Mrs Johnstone), Richard Munday (Mickey) and Mark Hutchinson (Eddie) make it all so believable. Act 1 is full of comedy- the scene with the two boys getting to know each other will have you rolling in your seats. Act 2 gets a lot darker. If Mrs Johnstone doesn't have you in tears... then you're made of stronger stuff than I.

It was understudy night- with no fewer than four of the parts (including Linda and Sammy) being played by the understudies. Their performances were as solid as the rest of the cast, so if you're going to see this show you don't need to worry about 'stand-ins'.

This show is, without a doubt, one of the best musicals currently showing in the West End. It's also one of the easiest to get a special offer on (thanks, Monkey!), making it the best value show I've been to.

I cannot recommend this one enough.

Nathan
November 2004.
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I am only 15 years of age and most people reading these comments will skip mine becasue of this but please read it, if you love Blood Brothers as much as I do, then my comments will be worth reading.

Last night (24th March 2005) I went to see Blood Brothers for the first time and it was fantastic. As I entered the Phoenix Theatre, I expected a strong performance, through tone of voice, singing and body language from many good actors. From having read the play I knew of the basic plot but had not studied all the play so seeing the performance in full would be for the first time and would hopefully be an enjoyable experience. I have also read other plays by Willy Russell, such as Educating Rita, so I knew that the content would be inventive and understandable for the audience.

And what I expected, I recieved. 

The story of Blood Brothers takes us to Liverpool, around the time of the miner strikes. Mrs Johnstone a single mother who works as cleaner is persuaded to give one of twins to her employer, Mrs Lyons. The twins find each other when they are seven "but nearly eight" and they become blood brothers and begin a complex friendship that will mean the death of both of them. The storyline is, obviously, quite outrageous and therefore hard to understand as real life but the cast make it a story that becomes believable. 

The style of the presentation also makes it quite unbelievable as the play quickly moves through time and the narrator fills in all the gaps with the twins growing up in approximately 150 minutes! The play showed the lives of the two boys through small episodes of key moments, leading to a more complex relationship and therefore their deaths. The narrator is always there, continually nagging at the actors' conscience. He is a subtle presence, constantly there even during the most upbeat of the musical's numbers, hinting at the story's tragic end. The narrator often creates a sinister atmosphere as he seemed to show the characters conscience and he said all the things that they didn't want to hear. For example, when the Johnstone family have been re-housed and the Lyons family have moved to the countryside, Mrs Lyons realises that she can't get rid of Edward's real family. The narrator voices her worst fears, he says things such as, "There's gypsies in the wood, An' they've been watchin' you, They're gonna take your baby away. There's gypsies in the wood," This is Mrs Lyons worst fear, that her baby will be taken from her and back to his true family. She becomes suspicious of Mrs Johnstone because of things like this and ends up trying to knife her at her house, due to her need to rid her life of the Johnstones.

The songs were very repetitive and they distract you from the storyline, the repetition of words such as "Marilyn Monroe" became a bore and this stopped you listening for a few seconds. However the opening line "Have you ever heard the story of the Johnstone twins?" engages the audience from the start and lets them begin an inquisitive adventure. The whole plot is based on questions such as this because the first scene is the same as the last so we know what happens but we don't know how, when, where or why!

Linda Nolan played a fabulous Mrs Johnstone. Linda's performance was outstanding and very emotionally charged, with the story focusing on her past, on how she became the Mrs Johnstone we see now. Linda had to adopted a Liverpool accent and did this very well, she really brought out the "mother" characteristic about her using her tone of voice, for instance she didn't shout at her children, she simply used a stern voice many mothers would use. She showed that she loved her children, including Eddie, through the way she spoke to them and the way she hugged and kissed them. 

The songs she sings, for example "MY CHILD" show her true feelings. "MY CHILD" shows how she wishes she could bring up her children, with lyrics like "A bike with both wheels on", "He'd leave matches alone , And you'd never find him, Effin' and Blindin'." Her voice was strong and hit all the high notes the songs expected of her. You could see how heartfelt the actress herself felt about the storyline, through her identification with the character. As you watched her performance, you felt more and more empathy towards her and her family, even if you weren't Liverpudlian or of their class. Linda Nolan had to be a mother who was, like many mothers, taken for granted, no time for herself. But in the end, she showed the audience no matter how self-less she had been, she couldn't stop superstition from being true. Her character didn't change as much as the children but she showed how your character didn't need to change visually for you to have a growth of understanding for them. 

Mark Hutchinson played a brilliant Eddie, being able to change from a child into a fully grown man in less then two hours. The first time Eddie enters, he strides on to the stage, he looks a lot older than Mickey and from costume and posture, someone from a higher class. He has a posh accent which, compared to Mickey's common Liverpool accent sounded very over the top but when compared to his mother and father's simply fitted in perfectly. Eddie seems to be a complete push-over when we first meet him, as he has been brought up to be polite, whereas Mickey has to fight to be heard against the rest of his family. Eddie is also less fidgety than Mickey and he seems to have more control of himself, using overdramatic movements to be like Mickey. Eddie is easily amazed by things and he seems very shy. As he grows older, Eddie becomes a little more rebellious and cheeky to teachers but he is still very much under his Mother's control. Mark shows that you can change a character and make him grow up through mannerisms, portraying emotions and an outstanding performance, without the need of dramatic changes of costume. His role was challenging but he hit the challenge straight on. Mark Hutchinson and Sean Jones perfectly contrasted each other and they both looked comfortable in their roles, making them more believable.

The play itself moved quickly and had a fast pace, due to skipping through time. The cast made this successful by moving scenery and props as part of the movements that they made, so scene changes where part of the acting. The main themes that the play seemed to convey was superstition and class. The class divide was the biggest because it meant that Mrs Johnstone couldn't give Eddie the things that Mrs Lyons could, shown in the song "MY CHILD". It also leaves Mickey and Eddie in a different place in the end because Eddie had money, which gave him more opportunities and Mickey had none, which left him in a dead-end job. This also meant that Eddie could be a child for longer, the main difference in their lives. Mickey had to grow up quickly, due to his girlfriend getting pregnant. His responsibilities rose, with a wife and child but Eddie went away to university, probably paid by his parents. The class Mickey was from meant that being poor was most likely and Eddie's class meant that wealth was an asset. Eddie often tried to help Mickey, when they first met it was sweets, then cigarettes bt then when they grew up Eddie took it too far by giving Mickey a house and a job. For Mickey, this was far too much, he thought that he should be the one to sort out the mess that was their life but Eddie only thought that he was helping the only way that he could.

This was a fantastic play, Linda Nolan was fantastic, as were Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson but my hat goes off to Linzi Matthews, she was a true child, a true teen and a true worn-out mother and wife. Thanks to all the cast for a fantastic performance.
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"One Of The West End's Finest"

As one of the West End's longest running shows, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers rarely gets the credit it deserves, and is often overlooked for other, newer musicals which are widely publicised. Having seen it twice I would comfortably see it again, because not only does it have a fantastic score, it offers something of a relief from the typical West End offering. Blood Brothers could even described as a play with music as opposed to a musical because the storyline is so strong. The show offers something for everyone, from accomplished theatregoers and those who enjoy examining the technical aspects, to those merely seeking an enjoyable night out. 

The plot (without revealing a great deal) follows the lives of Liverpudlian twins separated at birth, and examines how class affects upbringing. On the whole, the story is incredibly touching yet witty and well paced. 

As one of Willy Russell's most famous titles, Blood Brothers is a rarity in that script, music and lyrics were all written by the man himself. This is perhaps what makes the show so special; it is filled with wit and humour but at the same time there is an underlying poignancy which is unique to Blood Brothers. Russell helps to pull this off by using poetry extensively throughout the first half, enhancing the boys' mischief and creating a 'feel-good' musical. However, the second half is much darker, and though a little predictable, features some gritty yet moving drama. 

Maureen Nolan is currently starring as Mrs Johnstone, and embodies the role perfectly, with her emotional rendition of "Tell Me It's Not True" moving much of the audience to tears. Her Liverpudlian accent still needs some work, although she did take on the role very recently, so I am sure this will improve with time. Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson portray the twins, and the chemistry between them was exceptional. Also worthy of a mention is the Narrator (Phillip Stewart), who embodies the idea of fate as well as helping to maintain the show's quick pace by 'filling the gaps' of the story. 

Marty Flood's composite set is simple yet remarkably effective; the orchestra are concealed and there are no major set pieces except props that are brought on to represent the different settings. Again this is unusual for West End Shows; they generally tend to have lavish and spectacular set designs. This compromise does however have its merits- there is little to draw the audience away from the central characters. Lighting is also used effectively throughout, often used to replace the set in terms of symbolism.

Highlights include the fantastically delivered poem "I wish I was our Sammy" and the dramatic conclusion which, having seen over forty West End musicals and plays, is like no other. It is so poignant and creates a tragic reality, which is seldom found in musicals, something that makes it seem even more moving. Tickets are readily available, and currently there are a number of discounts. 

Victoria Hearn
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I've recently seen a performance of "Blood Brothers" the musical and this review is an explanation of why I think it's the best musical currently showing in the West End: 

Blood Brothers is unique among West End musicals in that it's maker - Willy Russell - is telling a story about which he feels strongly, passionately, and angrily. And it feels that way when you are sitting in the audience - the music is very powerful and very dramatic, and the style it's written in significantly helps it to convey it's full range of emotions. 

Because of this emotional investment, it's not only miles better than any Lloyd-Weber musical (which are best compared to Las Vegas - they vaguely resembling a particular style of music without making the audience worry that they might have to experience the real thing), it's more satisfying to experience than an older style Frank Loesser musical because the audience is led into relating to the characters onstage as opposed to laughing along with them, and thus when it becomes patently clear that everything is not going to be alright with Mickey and Eddie and Linda and Mrs. Johnson, it feels like a real-life tragedy. Whereas in say Guy's and Dolls, the audience is always given the impression that everything is going to be alright in the end. 

But any script, however good, still needs to be well acted to work. Happily (or not as is the overall effect of the play), the acting is spot on - they were all excellent actors and singers - the comic timing was superb, and the cast felt like they were actually related to each other. In particular, the two actors playing Mickey and Eddie (I've forgotten their names unfortunately) did so spectacularly from happy children to troubled adults, gradually fading and crumbling throughout all the play like a derelict building - truly breathtaking to see. 

So if you haven't seen it, then do so - it's easily good enough to run for another 20 years, but people, in particular tourists, will always automatically head off to see the latest big hit, and Blood Brothers may well move out if we are unlucky, displaced by the next Lloyd-Weber hit. 

And if you've seen it, then see it again, preferably with friends, extended family and even your school in tow since they'll enjoy it.

Please feel free to email me to disagree, or even agree with my comments at anthony.woodman@gmail.com.
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I have seen this show 14 times!!! Does that, alone, tell you what I think of it? Every year, I bring a group of 40+ American High School students for a tour of England. No tour of mine would be complete without seeing, "Blood Brothers."

This is a "brilliant" show which must be viewed in the front of the Dress Circle. Luckily, I am persistent with my booking, and wind up in the first 5 rows. The story is extraordinary and I have yet to see a cast who has not kept up the highest standard of acting! Mark Hutchinson, who plays Eddie, has always been my personal favorite! His innocence, during his youth, and unwavering loyalty during adulthood is the epitome of quality acting.

My students are always amazed, touched, and often moved to tears by this production. It is London Theater at its best. Both amusing and heart-breaking, it is a MUST for every theatre lover who has yet to experience it. Hopefully, I will be making my 15th audience appearance in April of 2006!

Randy Grauerholz
(Long Valley, New Jersey USA)
Group Leader - Passport to England Tour
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Sunday, April 15, 2007

It was my good fortune, on none other than Friday the 13th, to attend a performance of 'Blood Brothers,' starring Helen Hobson. Helen Hobson (Mrs. Johnstone) struck just the right balance of a desperate yet proud mother, as much a victim of circumstance as of class. She could have easily over done the cockney accent, or wallowed in self-pity, but instead projected a consistently dignified and hopeful character despite the inevitability of her circumstances. Her role is obviously very demanding, both physically, musically and emotionally. I commend her for maintaining such consistent energy and authenticity of character throughout. She also projects, despite her many children and daily drudgery, the need to be loved in a very believable and poignantly sexy way (given her circumstances), especially when she muses about dancing throughout (the leitmotif representing hope for her character). Her vocals were technically outstanding and very much captured the complex character of Mrs. Johnstone. My only regret is not seeing Helen as Donna in Mamma Mia; that being said, I think, based on her portrayal of Mrs. Johnstone, she is more suited to subtler, deeper roles.

Blood Brothers is a model of economy both in terms of the simple, timeless elegance of the plot (almost Greek), and the economy of the physical staging. To the untrained or worse, lazy, eye, one would be tempted to think the set designer was fired mid stream and that the actors simply had to make do with an incomplete set; after all, this theatre is so poor, they can’t even afford an orchestra pit! To the trained eye, the staging of this deceptively simple show is pure genius, not the result of budget restrictions (and if it is, and they start making more money, I hope they give the extra profits to a very deserving Helen Hobson). In some ways, I think the timelessness and longevity (20 years) of this show is a kind of metaphor for much of what is wrong with society and by extension has much to teach us about imagination and the stagecraft that stimulates it. For those that have never acted, there is probably nothing more terrifying than the task of playing a young child. It is, like playing the role of a drunk, more often than not, over done and caricaturized.

The narrator, as a kind of speaking “Fiddler” was another model of economy, propelling the story forward at key stages. (I played the “Fiddler” in an amateur production of Fiddler on The Roof and see many parallels between the fiddler and the narrator in Blood Brothers). The guns were also an elegantly simple yet powerful metaphor representing the innocence of child’s gunplay with the deadly reality of real guns. It may be a stretch, but I see the older brother’s desire for an air rifle as a kind of premonition of things to come. No longer content to pretend to shoot things, he actually wanted (naively) to exert some influence on/over the world by actually shooting things. The roles of the children were outstandingly played, made all the more realistic by the absence of props for them to lean on. The use of invisible horses that the children rode was a stroke of genius, perfectly capturing the natural simplicity of “normal” child’s play that is sadly but surely being replaced by mind/imagination rotting video games and overly stimulating movies.

The lower classes growing up too fast was tragically emulated in the role of Linda, the 14 year old girl who thought she was “in love” with Mickey. We as adults know that she probably would change her taste in men 10 times before she was 25 if she was given the chance to develop as an individual without the pressures (real or imagined) of growing up too fast. Teen pregnancy statistics in the UK bear out this tragic fact as much today as ever. The leitmotif use of the “Marilyn Monroe” melody throughout the play highlights just how unrealistically far from the glamorous life Mrs. Johnson is while foreshadowing the tragic (all that glitters is not gold) ending of Monroe’s life and its analog in Blood Brothers. Mickey’s child-like rhyme about “Almost being eight” is another foreshadowing of the young’s tendency to emulate (often tragically) older siblings. It’s almost as if Homo Sapiens are programmed to copy the actions of their elders like many other mammals without realizing that often the behaviour of human elders does not promote survival.

In contrast, the nauseatingly bad production of 'Wicked' is a perfect case of the Hollywood-driven, committee-designed, grab your mind-numbed attention, politically correct, amusement ride. Rather than praise 'Blood Brothers,' I simply could point out all the foibles of 'Wicked' and then ask the reader to imagine the opposite in 'Blood Brothers;' the only problem is, if you are the type that enjoyed (or forced yourself to pretend to have enjoyed) 'Wicked,' your brain is already so fried as to render any efforts at redeeming you, futile. But just for my morbidly curious, masochistic side, I will do a partial comparison to see if I can save a few of you.

1. Wicked had a mechanical smoke-farting dragon that looked like it fell off a carnival ride while being transported from one seedy county fete to another.
1a. Blood Brothers had only the bare essentials to maximally stimulate the audiences’ imagination and in doing so, dramatically enriched an already excellent storyline.

2. The Monkeys in wicked were ripped off directly from the last 'Planet of the Apes' movie, a box office and creative flop by any standard.
2a. The invisible horses in 'Blood Brothers' were a stroke of genius in that they conveyed the mind of a child while activating the imaginations of the audience, forcing the audience into the mind of the children on stage (I felt compelled to play vicariously with the children to imagine the horses and by extension, empathize with them more (the imaginary horse being shot by the boy actually triggered, for me, metaphorically, the realization that his friend was moving away, and along with it, his innocence or childhood.

3. 'Wicked' is so bad, I actually get dizzy trying to decide what was the worst aspect of it. Was it the noise masquerading as music (just try to hum any part of any tune from 'Wicked;' I dare you (I can remember every tune from the 'Wizard of Oz'). Was it the irrelevant props? Was it the haphazard oscillations between singing and speaking where the last few words of certain phrases were sung without any regard for the continuity of the melodic or story-line? I have a new word for this kind of half singing half speaking of totally forgettable melodies; I call it the recita-tease, not to be confused with recitative (a recitative is a narrative song that describes some action, thought, or emotion. The recitative follows the natural flow of the language, and is more a speaking composition than a singing composition. The two styles of recitative are the dry (secco) style and the accompanied (stromentato, or accompagnato) style). These criminally annoying recita-teases were reminiscent of the kind of rapid-fire MTV scene changes from which I expected a night out in the theatre to provide welcome relief.
3a. The story of Blood Brothers is deceptively insightful insofar as it points out the simple fact that children are basically tragic (people in progress) and that despite growing up, the same tragic insecurities that largely define our childhoods haunt us to our graves. I teach young children, and despite their apparent carefree “nature,” they are really tragic in the sense that they do not yet have the self-awareness to fix themselves and as such, are driven, to a large extent, by circumstances and their congenital personalities. To what degree do our circumstances shape us, our personalities, our social peers, etc.? And yet all children, regardless of class, like most adults, simply want to get along and make friends. After seeing Blood Brothers, I was tempted to go up to a single woman in a pub and ask her if she wanted to be my best friend just to see her reaction, but of course we adults know what that reaction would be, unless of course she was wearing a very short tight skirt and shiny shoes in which case she would probably begin going over her pricing structure!

4. 'Wicked 'sheds zero light on any important social issue. On the contrary, it trivializes them. We have the green witch, who is different simply by virtue of the color of her skin. Not content with this obvious rip-off from the ugly duckling, they also have to give her a crippled sister (rights of the disabled) and make her an animal rights advocate to boot! If they really wanted to teach a lesson with wicked, they should have showed the consequences of freeing these mutant flying monkeys as they swarmed the countryside, shitting on unsuspecting pedestrians, eating all the crops and ultimately taking over the world (then at least the planet of the apes theme would have carried more weight). The wizard of Oz was no threat; he merely symbolized animal research, already halted in this country do to the terrorist tactics of fanatical animal rights loonies who want to assign human rights to animals and who, through sheer violence and intimidation, not through any democratic process, have stopped all meaningful animal research in the UK to the tune of billions in lost revenues and untold suffering to millions whose treatments and cures rely on such research.
4a. 'Blood Brothers' is a beautifully stripped down condensation of the principal forces separating the classes as much today as ever (premature sexualization of children, total misunderstanding of the role of education [my wife has argued with many a Mickey about why learning the diet of pygmy tribes is designed to grow a bigger, thinking brain by interconnecting ideas (schemas), not the mere memorization of facts, (memorizing facts being merely a necessary byproduct of the process of thinking]). She has actually had students complain that thinking hurts their heads! It is the totally clueless and spoiled upper middle class bourgeoisie green-faced tree hugging, monkey coddling actions of this cliché hippie witch and her ilk that have put Mickey out of a job, no doubt because the box factory noise disturbs the nocturnal sleep cycle of the flying sh*tmonkeys, dramatically curtailing their daytime aerial bombardments of unsuspecting pedestrians.

With humbled adulation,
Timothy Winey
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I went to see Blood Brothers for the second time on 21st January 2006. It was so good, even better than before. I would recommend it to anyone and suggest that they bring plenty of tissues as the story really gets to you.
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It’s unsurprising that Blood Brothers is still going strong after 18 years or so in London's West End although most of the audience on Monday 20th February appeared to be teenagers. I guess it's hardly surprising, now that the play is on the National Curriculum. However, It goes without saying that this is a very important factor to bear in mind when seeing a show in London -Indeed, there are plenty of warnings that the 'matinee' performance can have a predominantly child based audience, but sadly nothing about evenings.

It's a good job I've seen Blood Brothers several times before because my enjoyment of the show last night was completely marred by several school parties of feral youths and their equally infuriating weak and ineffective teachers - none of whom appear to have ever learnt even basic theatre etiquette. Whilst rustling sweet wrappers, slurping drinks and chatting isn't an exclusive trait of the young in theatreland - last nights spoilers were not only all teens but were exclusively female.

If you're willing to take the risk with the audience, it's a fantastic show - even if the ending is a tad lame and the tunes get to be a bit repetitive. Maureen Nolan did a wonderful job as Mrs Johnstone after her sister Linda sadly left the show after being diagnosed with breast cancer. I wish her well.

We was in the dress circle - row B seats19-20, which the Monkey rates as better than the same seats in row A. However, I would have preferred row A first and I'd suggest that these are better seats for short people like me - not bothered by minimal leg room. Total row B satisfaction is dependent on whether or not the person in A has 'big hair'. I was unlucky enough to have someone whose perm paled Leo Sayers into insignificance and therefore had the front third of the stage obscured for most of the show.

Kevin - Maidstone
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Well once again I have been with a group of friends to see this show – I think it must be the 4th time and it’s still great. Apart from the fact that we had to queue in the pouring rain to collect our pre-booked tickets (bad organization by the theatre!) the seats Row E 5 – 11 (on monkey recommendation) were excellent. Probably couldn’t have been better. The Monkey comes up trumps again!

Anthony Costa was surprisingly good in the role of Mickey but it was a great cast all-round although the real star has to be Maureen Nolan gave the role her all – as did the girl who played Linda. A great night out - worth bearing in mind that it is a fairly late finish about 10.45pm on Wednesday – which is late by most West End shows’ standards if you have a way to go home.

The ice creams are cheaper in this theatre too for some reason – which has to be a plus!

Lizzie Loves the Theatre
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I saw this show about ten years ago and enjoyed it, so was delighted when I was invited to go again – although slightly wary about going to a midweek matinee, bearing in mind the likely audience. Sure enough, the auditorium was full of school parties of the 14-16 age group. Contrary to some of the experiences recounted by others, the youngsters behaved beautifully and their loud and appreciative applause and cheering added considerably to the atmosphere. It really is a great show for teenagers, who were obviously identifying with the characters on stage.

The show is packed full of good tunes and has a clear storyline. Singing and acting were universally excellent and the end was dramatic and believable.

I was in stalls J14. Legroom was very good and could have accommodated someone quite a bit taller than me (I’m 5’ 6”). Sightlines were fine provided I leant out a bit – the very tall and broad individual in front of me had quite a blocking effect on the centre of the stage, but as the action takes place all over the stage it really didn’t matter much.

Loved it!
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We went to see the matinee showing of Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre on Sat 24th February 2007.

Despite its cult following, we didn’t know a huge amount about the show, or what to expect… we had previously done the more “showy” musicals, recently "Spamalot", "Mary Poppins" and "Lion King," so this was a big departure from those kind of productions.

We sat in Box B in the Dress Circle. It had a good view of the stage, and we agree with Monkey’s opinion you lose about 1/10th stage. We were lucky to keep the side of the stage where a lot of the doorstep action took place, so I would recommend booking the right side of the theatre over the left. The boxes themselves were strange in how open they were with a low edge, and it was somewhat exposed as opposed to other boxes we had been in. That said, for comfort, it was lovely.

The show itself was amazing!! I was dubious for the first 15 minutes or so, but from then – fantastic!! It is a very clever production that gives you loads to think about after. Jay Roberts was the latest / new Mickey, was superb in his portrayal – very funny and totally nailed the child persona. Maureen Nolan was a great Mrs Johnstone, and the narrator, Steven Houghton is menacingly good. My favourite character portrayal was Linda, and the way her whole character and stance shaped with the turns her life took was wonderful. The ending was just brilliant, heart breaking, fantastic. Both Mickey and Mrs Johnstone were crying themselves when they took their bows!! I cried like a baby, and turned to find my husband was the same… amazing, fantastic, would go again tomorrow!!

Ali and Andrew
Hampshire, England.
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Have just returned from taking a group of 38 fourteen to fifteen year old boys (who have all read, and studied the play, as part of GCSE Drama course) to see 'Blood Brothers' at the Phoenix. Excellent!

We had seats in the stalls, rows E, F and G - sight lines lost of scenery if sitting at outside extremities of rows, but not the action as most is centre stage or areas which can be viewed by all. I found the leg room ample as I am only 5' 3" - some of the 6' + complained of being cramped but they did not view this as a big problem as they were so absorbed in the show!

They all felt Jay Roberts was brilliant as Mickey and excellent at portraying his different ages - they enjoyed Debbie Eden's (Linda) youth and figure and the way she developed, totally convincingly, from 7 year old to adult woman, and we all felt Steven Houghton was extremely menacing as the Narrator, without being too dominating - (which I have seen in other productions).

Testament to the standard of acting that ALL these young men, and the four teachers who accompanied them, were spellbound for the whole show - and NO-ONE asked when it would finish! I loved it ....again.. and one of my colleagues would like to borrow my CD and several of the boys had tears in their eyes and gave the cast a standing ovation - not bad for a matinee!

Outstanding performances by all and it may not be the 'London Spectacular' cast (14) and set -wise, but for emotion and timelessness - can't be beaten! I would see it again tomorrow - love it.

Alison,
Lincs.

17th May 2007
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