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5.0 out of 5 stars
Unforgettable, moving and haunting, Jun 12 2004
I saw the London stage version of "Blood Brothers" last summer and left the Adelphi Theater completely and satisfyingly exhausted from the emotions that the story wrung out of me. What I loved most was the uncalulated, "sorry but this is life" attitude, and the total believability of all of the characters.
Willy Russell lovingly crafted every aspect of the story. The premise of the plot has been done time and again, but Russell magically shows us how everything old is new again--and brilliantly so. These are people we know, these are our friends, our neighbors, perhaps even ourselves. Oddly, the show didn't endear itself to Broadway, but it has been running since the 80's in London. Another point of interest: if you look hard enough, you can find three Original Cast versions. The first, starring Kiki Dee, another (I believe from the Broadway version), and an "international version" starring Petula Clark, David Cassidy and Shaun Cassidy. Willy Russell plays the role of the Narrator, and he has a magnificent voice. This last version is my favorite. With real life brothers taking on such an emotionally charged project, Petula Clark as the tragic Mrs. Johnstone, and Willy Russell haunting the stage, the electricity flies. Backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the experience is nothing short of magic.
"Blood Brothers", like "Phantom of the Opera", "Les Miserables" and "Chicago" is definitely a more than one time show. The young man sitting next to me had seen "Blood Brothers" for the sixteenth time! And still, he had tears in his eyes, as did I. Read the book; it won't ruin the play for you. If you're lucky enough to get to London, by all means make "Blood Brothers" top priority for the show to see.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
"I'm Not Saying a Word.", April 26 2002
Though it is a bit crude in some parts, BLOOD BROTHERS remains and probably always will be my favorite musical of all time. The plot of the story revolves around a set of twins (Mickey and Eddie) separated at birth because their mother cannot afford to raise two more children. A deal is struck with the infertile employer of Mrs. Johnstone, Mrs. Lyons, and one of the children is raised by the Lyons in luxury. The only catch, no one must ever know the truth. As life has it, the boys eventually meet anyway and become the best of friends, blood brothers.Willy Russell created a real gem here. BLOOD BROTHERS is a moving musical filled with all the tragedy and comedy of life, but without resorting to sentimental sap. The play exposed and illustrated to me the fatal flaws of the British economic caste system in a way far better than any other piece of literature ever has. It's a great play and though the moving music is not found here in the script, there's still the story.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Have you ever heard the story of the Johnstone twins?, May 25 1999
By A Customer
On welfare and already with too many children to call her own, Mrs. Johnstone is once again faced with another pregnancy--this time, twins. With the ability to only support one, Mrs. Johnstone is persuaded to give one of the babies to her childless employer, Mrs. Lyons. In an attempt to keep the boys apart when they unknowingly meet face-to-face and become "blood brothers," the Lyons move to another home in the English countryside. When the Johnstones are relocated, Mickey and Eddie again are happily reunited. As they get older, however, the difference in their social classes and a bitter love triangle tear them apart. One of the most haunting musical tragedies since West Side Story.
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