Blood Brothers - Musical (Wanneroo)

‘Blood Brothers’ is based loosely on the 1844 novella ‘The Corsican Brothers’; it was turned into a play in 1981 by Willy Russell and then developed into the Tony and Olivier Award winning musical three years later. The ‘Blood Brothers’ musical went on to be the longest running West End musical. It is now presented by the Limelight Theatre, Civic Drive, Wanneroo nightly at 8.00 pm until 10^th December with matinees on the 3^rd and 10^th December at 2.00 pm.
 
 

      The lights rise to show a dimly lit street with two bodies lying in the middle of the road. The lights fade.
 
       The scene is Liverpool in the mid 1960s and in a back alley a young woman explains how she fell for the smooth talk of a teddy boy at the local dance. As the narrator (Ian Cross – magnificent presence and voice) explains, after her husband walked out on her and the children, Mrs Johnstone (Clare Wood - superb) is yet again broke and pregnant. She takes on a cleaning job for a wealthy couple, Mr and Mrs Lyons. Barely able to look after her daughter, Donna-Marie (Susan Flood) and son, Sammy (Chris Juckes) to her horror she finds that she is now expecting twins, and so is in fear that ‘the Welfare’ may take all of her children away.
        Mrs Lyons (Susan Marsh), however, despite her wealth is missing one thing in life, a baby! She is desperately keen to adopt one of Mrs Johnstone’s, and hesitantly her cleaner agrees - being made to swear on the Bible not to change her mind.
        When the healthy twins, Mickey (Peter Clark) and Edward (Alex McLennan) are delivered by the nurse (Jane Anderson), Mrs Johnstone lies to her other children, saying that one of the babies, Edward, has died and gone to Heaven. Mrs Johnstone continues to work for Mrs Lyons, but being jealous of her cleaner’s affection to the baby, Mrs Lyons fires her home help, who then wants to take baby Edward, back again. Mrs Lyons invents a superstition, stating that ‘if twins who are separated at birth learn that they were once a pair, they will both immediately die’. Grief stricken, Mrs Johnstone leaves without the baby, refusing the offer of compensation.
        Several years later, Mickey meets his twin Eddie ‘Lyons’, and finds that they share the same birthday and so the two youngsters become blood brothers. Mrs Johnstone petrified of them dying, chases Eddie away threatening him not to come back.
        Later the same day, Mickey goes to Eddie's home, but Mrs Lyons in turns away this unsuitable slum boy. Eddie curses his mother, who has realised that he must have learnt to swear from Mickey.
        It is now the early 80s, strikes are all around and hard times are hitting the city. Mickey and his new friend, Linda (Tracy Fallows), call at Eddie’s house. The three of them get into trouble and are caught by a policeman (Alan Morris).
        Because of Mickey’s bad influence, the ailing Mrs Lyons talks her husband (Dave Nelson) into moving house. Mrs Johnstone gives Edward a leaving gift. Not long afterwards, the Johnstone family are rehoused in the more pleasant surroundings of Skelmersdale, very near the Lyons, and so the trouble starts.
        Natalie Jackson, Kate O’Sullivan, Brad Beckett and Jacob Anderson play several cameo parts beautifully.

 

 

The musical accompaniment came from the nine-piece ensemble in the orchestra pit. Conducted by David Hardie, were keyboard – Lyn Brown, clarinet – Graham Piltcher, saxophone – Kyarra Swetman, trumpet – Paul Marion, guitar – Sam Gibson, violin – Robert Usaraga, bass guitar – Barry Drennan and drums - Matthew Snelson. Sensitive playing, but at times, mainly because of the seating arrangement, the balance was a bit off. The trumpet added a poignant touch to some scenes.

The casting disturbed me as Mrs Johnstone’s children appeared older than she was. The two ‘boys’ captured their characters extremely well, but at times the childish, caricatured antics appeared almost pantomimish. It is a pity that a couple of young music students hadn’t been used.

The excellent set of the back lane, with all of the relevant alleys leading off, was similar to the London production’s set.

This production was more of an acting version with songs and good movement (Polly Waugh); the Metcalfe version was a musical with a great deal of choreography. Both were most successful in their own way.

Thanks to the hard work of Paul Sweeney, the accents of the whole cast in this play were most authentic, congratulations.

Debuting as a director, Alida Chaney, has done a brilliant job of getting the whole show together. The atmosphere of the play was similar to the original UK production, with a great deal of emotion and authenticity in the family bonding. In the Final Act, Alida had her cast very successfully employ the whole auditorium space to increase the commotion and tension.

The singing was of a very high standard (Lyn Brown can feel proud) and the final number with the ensemble was powerful and memorable. With the interval music being a selection of songs from Liverpool groups of the era, and the programme showing a liver bird on every page, the Scouse theme was well promoted. A very good production.