REVIEW: Liverpool Empire Presents Blood Brothers

Wednesday was Press night for Willy Russell's iconic Blood Brothers which runs at Liverpool Empire Theatre until Saturday 14th September. 

Directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, starring Lyn Paul as mother to the Johnstone twins, the show tells a highly emotive story about a struggling lone parent with several children and the contrasting lives of her fraternal twins Eddie and Mickey who were separated at birth but reunited with dire consequences.

The multi-award winning show is a deemed a local treasure here in Liverpool and has received critical acclaim for years. The cast work so well together and the powerful imagery of the Liver building that serves as a backdrop serves as a reminder of the writer Willy Russell's heritage. He remains a much celebrated writer throughout the world today.

In terms of the cast, the fantastic Lyn Paul is a protagonist. She made her debut in musical theatre in 1997 in her lead role as Mrs Johnstone and has been the firm favourite ever since. She has reprised the role over the past 20 years, this is also her farewell tour, so it was wonderful to see her in what will be my third experience of this cherished Liverpool play.  With Liverpool references throughout, Scouse dialect and colloquialisms, there is a wonderful sense of familiarity and feeling of affinity to the plight of the characters.

A narrator is an almost permanent fixture (Robbie Scotcher) and he opens the show with "Did you hear the story of the Johnstone twins ?" We, the audience are taken on a journey as we learn of the sequence of events that led to Mrs Johnstone's poverty and subsequent struggles.

The talented 24 year old Alexander Patmore plays twin Mickey and he is consistently brilliant.  From scenes of him as a carefree young whippersnapper to a mature man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he captivates the audience’s attention entirely. We first meet him aged 7 (nearly 8). The audience buy into him and his plight as he embarks on the fateful journey underpinned by struggle throughout his life. Joel Benedict plays Eddie who is Mickey's twin brother whose fate sees him living a more affluent existence.

Daniel Taylor was an incredible Sammy; As older brother to the twins and countless other siblings, he portrayed the rebellious, wayward attitude of the older sibling credibly. He balanced beautifully the humour and carefree nature of Sammy whilst juxtaposing the desperation and heavy-hearted aspects of his troubled persona as a grown man. Taylor is such a talented actor with an ability to flex styles. The audience totally believes him as a 10 year old tear away/ bully and also as grown man who averts the law. You feel a sense of empathy towards him as you know he lacks direction. Kudos to Taylor for performing in such a way that evokes a range in emotion from the audience. As always, Taylor is a joy to watch.

Danielle Corlass was great in her role as Linda. She eventually became the love interest of both of the twins which ultimately was instrumental to the subsequent tragedy. She was witty and powerful in her presence on stage.

The show is captivating from the outset. With the powerful narration and the fast pace of the plot as the adult cast play out the puerility of the young characters, your attention is engaged. There is a roller coaster of emotion as you laugh at the innocence of Mickey, Eddie, Sammy, Linda et al as they mount their imaginary horses during their play. Conversely, the depth of the emotion that you experience as you witness the heart- wrenching scenes that unfold before you makes it a well-rounded experience, evocative yet entertaining.

Robbie Scotcher was the omnipresent narrator and he was powerful and haunting as he cued the scenes.  Not forgetting Chloe Taylor who played Eddie's adoptive mother and Tim Churchill as her husband, they also delivered strong and credible performances. This was the first time I had seen Chloe Taylor in the role of Eddie's mother and I thought she played it exceptionally well.

The rest of the cast includes Graham Martin, Gemma Brodrick, Hannah Barr Graeme Kinniburgh, Shaun McCourt and Connor Bannister.

This is a moving tale with a cruel twist of fate. Blood is not always thicker than water.

PR Rating 4 stars

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