Is there a website for performers where you can find out about their career? I saw Blood Brothers today in Glasgow and an actress called Vivian Carlyle has taken over from Linda Nolan as Mrs Johnstone. However Vivian is not an understudy so doesn't feature in the current programme. As such I'd like to know more about her career prior to this production of Blood Brothers.

Vivienne is covering for Linda Nolan while she's out of the show due to her husband's death. Linda may or may not be back next week in Edinburgh - the cast were supposed to be finding out yesterday.

If you bought a programme, you should have received a paper insert with Vivienne's headshot and bio on. If you don't have one, I can type it out for you if you want.

There was no paper insert for Vivienne's bio. Usually you do get one when an understudy or alternate is on. If you have time to write out Vivienne's bio I'd be interested to read it.

Kenwright.com sometimes has clickable Cast Biographies (Blood Brothers is a Kenwright Tour) -
though I see the site's currently being revamped (seemingly 2months till it re-launches?),
& cached pages (or at least the one I found, retrieved as per Oct 6th) doesn't mention the actress you're seeking.

However, a Search Engine, eg Google, for her name which is usually spelt "Vivienne Carlyle"
should produce lots of links to try
(including many from when she was a Narrator of Joseph, which is where I'd heard her name before).

Evening Times Interview with Vivienne Carlyle re taking over the lead role in Blood Brothers

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As Kenwright.com doesn't seem quite up to date,
please will someone let me know which actors are currently playing the Narrator, & Mickey, & Mr Lyons, on TOUR?

The cached Kenwright.com page lists the following for those roles on Tour -

Craig Price (Narrator)
Stephen Palfreman (Mickey)
Jon de Ville (Mr Lyons/us Narrator)

However, I know Craig Price has recently moved into the London Cast.

(I'm interested in Jon de Ville because he trained as an actor here in Cardiff, at RWCMD -
I've seen him in a number of shows then and since.)

Heh, you tried exactly the same thing I did, Biddy (and I was not impressed when I discovered the Kenwright site is supposedly down for so long). Sometimes it being out of date can be useful though - I certainly found it interesting to see the complete BB cast list from before the cast changed. Looks like Linda Nolan, Daniel Taylor and Simon Willmont are the only ones who've stayed.

Current Tour Cast:

Mrs. Johnstone: Vivienne Carlyle (stand in)
Narrator: Keith Burns
Mickey: Antony Costa
Eddie: Simon Willmont
Mrs. Lyons: Caroline Hartley
Linda: Nicola Daley
Sammy: Daniel Taylor
Mr. Lyons: Russell-Leighton Dixon

Ensemble:
Andy Brady
Jamie Evans
John Jo Flynn
Graham Martin
Christina Marley
Lisa Taylor Roberts

Thanks for the info. I don't mean this as anything against Linda Nolan (especially with the recent loss of her husband) but it was good to see someone else play Mrs Johstone. I've seen Linda, Bernie and Denise Nolan play the part. I originally saw the late Stephanie Laurence. Of the Nolan sisters I thought Bernie was the best.

Yes, I was very impressed with Bernie Nolan but no performance has ever come close to that of Stpehanie Lawrence. She brought the house down in Liverpool on the night I saw her do it. She was fantastic!

I was pleased to learn that Vivienne's a fellow Scot.

Have to say I wasn't keen on Keith Burns as the Narrator. His vocal gymnastics made it very difficult to understand what he was actually singing. Obviously having seen the show several times I know what the lyrics are but I heard a few other people in the audience saying they couldn't understand him.

Here is the biog for Vivienne, thought you might want to take a look at it:

Vivienne was born in Glasgow and graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BA degree in Community Arts, for which she received a Commendation.

She made her West End debut playing ‘Narrator’ in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at the New London Theatre for which she was nominated “Best Actress in a Musical” from Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice 2003. She appeared as ‘Mrs Walker’ in a National tour of THE WHO’S TOMMY and played ‘The Songbird’ in Cirque du Soleil’s SALTIMBANCO on their tour of South America. Vivienne played ‘Mrs Lyons’ and understudied and played ‘Mrs Johnstone’ in BLOOD BROTHERS at the Phoenix Theatre. Most recently she appeared in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE at the Novello Theatre and the National Tour of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT reprising the role of 'Narrator'.

She has also appeared in the world premiere and recording of SHEHALLION.
Pantomime credits include BABES IN THE WOOD, ALADDIN and MOTHER GOOSE.
Recordings for Scottish Opera include ALBA, 1719 and SANDS OF TIME.
Vivienne has also performed backing vocals for Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton and Dina Carroll.

Thanks for the info. I knew I recognised the name from somewhere. I saw her in Tommy.

Just been to see Blood Brothers in Derry, having already seen it in Belfast and Edinburgh in the last 6 months! Vivienne has joined the cast as Mrs Lyons, and is so much better in that part than she was as Mrs J in Edinburgh. Simon Willmont has returned as Eddie, though the programme says it was supposed to be Mark Hutchinson. Simon played Mickey when I saw it in Belfast, and Eddie in Edinburgh. It's a credit to him that he was excellent in both roles.