West End Wednesday: Blood Brothers
Blood Brothers tells the story of two twins who were separated at birth and unbeknownst to their genetic connection, become best friends as children, and later falling in love with the same girl. The story explores the concept of nature versus nurture when they are both raised separately in opposite social classes.
Playwright Willy Russell had first developed the story as a school play before it debuted in Liverpool. After this, Russell began developing the play into a musical, writing a score and mounting it at Liverpool Playhouse. The show then transferred to London’s West End for a short run, still starring Barbra Dickson as Mrs Johnstone, where it won two Olivier awards before embarking upon a national tour. The show was revived in 1987 by Producer Bill Kenwright, who also offered co-direction alongside Bob Tomson. The tour starred Kiki Dee as Mrs Johnstone, Warwick Evans as the narrator, Con O’Neil as Mickey and Robert Locke as Eddie. All of the stars also transferred with it to the West End where it ran at the Noel Coward (The Albery) for three years, before moving to the Phoenix Theatre where it ran for a further twenty one years before closing in 2012. O’Neil won an Olivier for his performance in the 1988 revival. Blood Brothers is the third longest running musical in West End history and still continues to tour the UK annually.
The revival version transferred to New York, opening on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in 1993. The production involved many of the UK actors, including Con O’Neil reprising his Olivier award winning role of Mickey. To boost sales, Kenwright secured Petula Clark to take over the role of Mrs Johnstone marking her Broadway debut, and had half-brothers Clark and David Cassidy playing Mickey and Eddie. The production was nominated for six 1993 TONY awards, but failed to win any. The production closed on Broadway in 1995. A US national tour lasted from 1994-5 and again starred the Cassidys.
Blood Brothers has been produced all over the world and remains a massive fan favourite, especially in the UK and has been on the GCSE Drama syllabus.
If you don’t know Blood Brothers Besties, where have you been!? Get listening because it will break your heart.
Cast recording available on Spotify and AppleMusic
FACTS:
Music: Willy Russell
Lyrics: Willy Russell
Book: Willy Russell
Theatre: The Lyric - The Noel Coward and The Phoenix Theatre (revival)
Run: 11 April 1983 – 22 October 1983 and 28 July 1988 – 10 November 2012 (over 10,000 performances)
OLIVIERS
(NOMINATED) Best Actress in a Musical - Kiki Dee (1988), Best Actress in a Musical – Melanie Chisolm (2010)
(WON) Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical – Barbara Dickson, Best Actor in a Musical – Con O’Neill (1988)
TONYS
(NOMINATED) Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical – Willy Russell, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical – Con O’Neil, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Stephanie Lawrence, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Jan Graveson, Best Direction of a Musical – Bill Kenwright and Bob Tomson.
