Typically, the concept of two twins separated at birth and finding each other once again, such as The Parent Trap, is a beautiful tale with a wonderfully happy and uplifting ending. As viewers we want them to find each other, realise their bond that only twins could possibly have – oh, and we want them to have matching lockets that they eventually put together in a dramatic conclusion.
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers is a musical masterpiece that embodies the age-old tale of two separated twins – but while there is a locket, that’s about all this show has in common with any Disney story.
As the tale begins we meet Mrs Johnstone (Lyn Paul): a working class Liverpudlian who gets married, has many (unplanned) children, and compares herself regularly with Marilyn Monroe. Her husband leaves her while pregnant with twins, and struggling to make ends meet. After accepting work as a housekeeper for wealthy neighbour Mrs Lyons (Chloe Taylor), who is unable to conceive with her husband, Mrs Johnstone reluctantly agrees to give her one of the twins. The audience is then taken on a whirlwind journey as young Mickey (Alexander Patmore) and Eddie (Joel Benedict) grow up – and the true meaning of ‘blood brothers’ becomes very apparent.
I consider myself genuinely lucky to have seen this performance of the famous Bill Kenwright production. I’ve seen Blood Brothers many times before – both on tour and in the West End – but this one had something magical about it. It was starring the fabulous Lyn Paul, from The New Seekers, as Mrs Johnstone. You know, she sang ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’ from the Coke advert back in the ‘70s? Well, she’s not just famous for that. She played Mrs Johnstone back in the 1997 West End production of Blood Brothers. Voted as the ‘definitive’ Mrs Johnstone, she’s reprised the role several times over the past 20 years, and now plays her yet again in what’s been called her ‘farewell tour’.
I don’t use this word lightly, but Lyn Paul’s voice was completely flawless. She was pitch perfect, had more control than the Spanx I wore on my wedding day, and her tone was like listening to a CD. I’ve never experienced a live vocal performance like it. Effortless and beautiful.
Bearing in mind the simplistic set that never really changes, it’s pretty much down to the strength of the actors alone to turn Blood Brothers from the great script that it is, into the outstanding show that it can be. Lyn Paul obviously went above and beyond here – and so did Alexander Patmore as Mickey. I think what makes this show so hard to stomach, without giving away too much, is that we see Mickey and Eddie grow up. We watch them learn and develop their own personalities – and we witness their ups and downs. In Mickey’s case, it can be a challenging and unsettling watch at times; Patmore’s acting is so realistic that you just want to run on stage and reassure him that everything will be alright. The brothers were ably supported by comical love interest Linda (Danielle Corlass), who also excelled at being both a happy-go-lucky eight year old, as well as a struggling young mum.
There’s something a little different about Blood Brothers compared to other typical musicals. It doesn’t follow the same format, musically, and really only features a few songs – the rest of the tracks are either previews or reprises of these. Writer Willy Russell claimed that he wanted the music to be related to the story: “When I thought of the idea I vaguely knew the form and structure it would take. I wanted Blood Brothers to be composed – not sung through as such, but I wanted to think about the way all the music related to the story, rather than putting individual songs here, there and everywhere,” he says.
Of course, the big number that everyone knows is ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’, sung by Mrs Johnstone and the full company. However, my personal favourite is Eddie’s bittersweet ‘I’m Not Saying a Word’. Look out for that one.
Ultimately, the one thing I have to say about this show is absolutely nothing can prepare you for the ending. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen Blood Brothers several times so I knew what was coming. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t jump when the loud noises came out of nowhere – and I certainly shed many tears.
Not only would I recommend Blood Brothers for the fact that it’s quite simply a brilliant show, but it’s also imperative that you catch it while Lyn Paul is still at the helm as Mrs Johnstone.
Blood Brothers runs daily at the Grand Opera House until Saturday 2nd November. Click here to book tickets.
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