Epic family drama Blood Brothers back on Northampton stage
Legendary musicals tells the moving tale of twins separated at birth
Big songs and big emotions await when the international smash hit musical Blood Brothers returns to Northampton this month.
Written by award-winning playwright Willy Russell, few musicals have been received with such acclaim as Blood Brothers. This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. The musical has since triumphed across the globe, winning four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.
Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.
When Mrs Johnstone, a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children, she takes a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet. It is not long before her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again – this time with twins. In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer which leads inexorably to the show's shattering climax.
Few musicals have been received with such acclaim as Blood Brothers. Considered “one of the best musicals ever” by the Sunday Times, Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in the West End, and has been affectionately christened the ‘standing ovation musical’, owing to its ability to “bring the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval,” according to the Daily Mail.
The cast for is led by Vivienne Carlyle in therole of Mrs Johnstone, with Richard Munday as the narrator, Sean Jones and Joe Sleight as the twin brothers, Mickey and Eddie, Tricia Adele Turner as Mrs Lyons and Beth Danher as Linda.
Willy Russell is one of this country's leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine.
Blood Brothers runs at the Royal & Derngate from Tuesday November 24 to Saturday November 28. Call 01604 624811 or visit royalandderngate.co.uk to book or for more information.