Reader Reviews
Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | "Good bye" to one of the best musicals of all time !!! Hope to see you back one day !! - Frank | 15 Dec 12 |
| Two years after my first visit to the Phoenix, it seems that Blood Brothers, whilst still retaining comic and tragic brilliance, has lost its greatest asset in Natasha Hamilton. - RKJP | 17 Oct 12 |
| Sadly we were recommended this show by Leicester Square late booking office....but will not do so to others...money not well spent - Glasgow Friends | 24 Sep 12 |
| Still one of the best shows in London. Full of emotion. Wonderful !! - Frank | 18 May 12 |
| Saw Blood Bros. (again) on Saturday night..... gosh, Lyn Paul is so incredibly good in the role that it's creepy.... was the role written for her?? Although it has been running over 20 years, the show is timeless. Willy Russell, and Lyn Paul are at the absolute top of their collective games here! Terry Johnson - Terry Johnson | 06 Sep 10 |
| I'm surprised at the 5-star reviews. This show has really dated badly. The story is a total cliché and is totally predictable. Where it's not predictable it just doesn't make sense: for example, it's supposed to be about social class but it's actually about mental illness. The music is completely forgettable 80s dross. And, as others have pointed out, there's an inexplicable lyrical obsession with Marilyn Monroe that is just incredibly annoying. - Kavafy | 19 Jul 10 |
| I first saw Blood Brothers at the Albery Theatre over 21 years ago with Kiki Dee and Con'Neill amongst the cast. I've seen the show on numerous occasions since but not for several years so was not sure how I'd feel about returning again last night. I have to say it was every bit as good as it always was and in some cases even better. The sets may be looking old but there is nothing jaded about this show. The story remains as it ever did, brilliantly powerful and moving. Take the music away and it is still a strong story. The music just adds more power and emotion. This company was without exception excellent. I loved the pairing of Stephen Palfreman and Richard Reynard as twins Mickey and Eddie both of whom totally inhabited their characters, wonderfully exploring the range of each part as they evolve from young care free boys into men. Excellent support too from Michael Southern as Sammy and Louise Clayton as Linda. I've seen many Mrs Johnstone's over the years. It is indeed an iconic role in musical theatre and in Mel C we have someone who sings those great songs brilliantly and acts wonderfully too. She deserves all the acolades that have come her way for her performance. Blood Brothers never fails to move me. It did once again last night. It remains for me, despite some strong comeptition from those Billy boys, the greatest British musical ever written. Long may it continue :-) - Paul Wallis | 02 Apr 10 |
| Well, the reviews here make valid points. The staging does feel old, the music is from another time and in need of a re-work and the set could pass for a 6th form production, but I don't care. This is without doubt the most emotional, honest, heartbreakingly brilliant show you will ever see. The transformation of the 2 boys and their mum and the resulting tear filled ending would get to even the stoniest of hearts. Mel C didn't turn up on the night we went but the initial disappointment went as her understudy (usually Mrs Lyons) sang her first note, a first class performance from Vivienne Carlyle. A must see - AJC1976 | 19 Jan 10 |
| I've seen this musical several times and have never yet seen a bad peformance. Went to see it again the week Mel C started, we got two tickets for £35 and had great Stalls seats, but I'm an Ambassador member so I got a discount. We thought it was an excellent show, and I'm always struck by the energy and emotion that the cast put into it, they really do seem to live the story. It never fails to move me and I'm always close to tears at the end! - northern_lass | 04 Dec 09 |
| have seen BB over 40 times since 1994 and love it ,saw in london first time in about 10years on saturday , because of critics rave review of mel c . firstly prices have shot up cause the ex spice girl is in it , paid £42 at TKTS !!!! mickey (sean) from tour ,eddie was fab best ive seen in years , linda great too , mrs lyons understudy was wooden , and Mel c was ....well mel c .... if i were you i would wait till either nicki evans ,linda nolan , or lyn paul are back in cast , tickets will got down to a reasnoble price and standards will rise , after 21yrs i think Mr Kenwright could afford a new set , or even a whole new concept for the show for the 21st century , also noticed on way out top price tickets are going up to £55 !! is this to pay mel c wages ???? perhaps - rob g | 23 Nov 09 |
| I am an American who normally gets to London a few times a year mainly to enjoy the work of what I believe to be the most marvelous theatre talent pool in the world. I went to Blood Brothers once, early in this decade and felt that for me it was a worthwhile show to see once. I returned last week (Oct 24) because I was told I really should treat myself to the pleasure of hearing Vivienne Carlyle apply her magnificent voice to the lead role of Mrs Johnstone. Rarely have I heard such a blend of power and mellowness of voice as Ms Carlyle brings to this role. It was a joyous experience just to sit and relish the beauty of this performance, so much so that I'd have been back the next show date had she been on that night. It did not matter that the story is a bit of a reach for my taste. I'd have returned for another serving of Vivienne's virtuoso concert. And I plan to do so again if her turn comes up when I am next in London. There are many bigger celebrities than Vivienne around the West End, but you will look a very long time to find a more golden-toned voice. Consider treating yourself if you have the opportunity. - Barton Denechaud | 30 Oct 09 |
| I would just like to say that Blood brothers is not classed as a "musical" it is a play with music and for that reason it shouldnt matter if the music isnt what you like. I think the musical is truely brilliant and has a meaningful and solemn ending. it was set in the 80's so it is supposed to be outdated and you are supposed to know what happens at the end because they show you them getting into their stretchers and being carried off at the beginning. so the plot was supposed to be predictable so that there was a build up in the play so you almost dont want the ending to happen. Im studying this for gcse's and i think it a wonderful theatrical peice that is meaningful and clever. - Harriet P | 11 Oct 09 |
| saw it with my school on 10th july 2008 and thought it was amazing. every actor played their part really well. and lyn paul (mrs johnstone) had an amzing singing voice. Steven Palfreman(Mickey) and Richard Reynard(Edward) were supuerb! when they were playing the part of a 7 year old boy you actually belived they were 7 years of age! BRILLIANT! - Rhyyyy | 21 Apr 09 |
| Amazing! went with my school, everyone laughed through the first half, and cried at the end. Niki Evans played Mrs Johnston, and was absolutely amazing, such an awesome voice! would see it over and over again, can't understand the bad reviews, clearly people who don't appreciate great shows when they see them :) Got to meet Richard Reynard (eddie) and he was such a nice guy, Stephen Palfreman (mickey) was hilarious, and very convincing at all the ages he acted. Overall, best show ever, amazing music and actors :D must see for everyone :D - Katiee | 21 Feb 09 |
| I saw the touring version in Edinburgh with Maureen Nolan, she has an excellent voice but what a disappointing musical - dated and predictable. - FK | 16 Feb 09 |
| went to london to see it for the 1st time and it was brilliant !!!!! me & my partner laughed & cryed as the story ended niki evans did`nt appear but mrs johnston was played by louise davidson who quite simply was excellent!! will go and see it again in manchester in oct. - Ian Harrison | 17 Jan 09 |
| i saw the london show on new years eve and have to say having seen it before that it is one of the strongest musicals storywise out there and a big vote of confidence to nikki evans,what a amazing singer. - anthony | 17 Jan 09 |
| Friendship The friendship between Eddie and Mickey happens instantly, but is tested throughout the play because of their different backgrounds. Social class The play highlights the differences between the life experiences of working class and middle class families and the way they are treated by society, such as the policeman acting differently around Mrs Johnstone and Mr Lyons when the children are in trouble. Violence Runs throughout the play, from Sammy and the other children playing with guns as children to the robbery and violent deaths at the end. Childhood The play explores the issue of childhood and the different ways the twins are brought up, for example Edward learns from Mickey as his upbringing makes him more like an adult than a child. Their childhood innocence in Act 1 is soon destroyed as they grow up in Act 2. Nature/nurture When Mickey says “I could have been him” he implies that his life would have turned out differently had he been brought up by Mrs Lyons. Is this true – do we behave in a certain way because of our upbringing (nurture) or is our behaviour down to the personalities that we are born with (nature)? Superstition Mrs Johnstone believes in lots of superstitions. Her beliefs are used by Mrs Lyons to trap Mrs Johnstone into silence – she tells her that if the boys discover they are twins they will both die. - steph | 06 Nov 08 |
| Well acted but on the whole just awful. Typically cheap and tacky Kenwright set - pennies pinched at every turn. I also had trouble with the music - it was so repetitive and what was the obsession with Marilyn Monroe?! The lyrics were just awful. - AA | 31 Aug 08 |
| An excellent show. Can't understand why there are so many awful comments about it, but these are probably from people who rate Mamma Mia as the best musical ever (btw its full of cheap jokes, crap acting and no emotion what so ever). Go an see blood brothers. - John | 24 Jul 08 |
| i have just watched the first night of blood brothers at wolverhampton's grand theatre starring linda nolan. timing was brilliant, comedy good, singing exellent. What a fantastic show. A standing ovation with 8 curtain calls.Linda put her heart & soul into the part,well done to all concerned and thank you for a brilliant night. keep up the good work. - tom huntington | 13 May 08 |
| Having seen Blood Brothers on a number of occasions, it is one of the most contemporary musical dramas I have seen. It is completely original and although some may say predictable - it still manages to bring the audience to tears and a standing ovation each night. The acting within in I particularly find from Mrs Johnstone, played by Lyn Paul, outstanding who completely outshines the whole cast and you are drawn to her as soon as she steps out onto the stage and also from Mrs Lyons who manages to portray the possesive madness to a great degree. The whole play set in the northern parts of the UK should be commended as many musicals now are set in some fictional American town or a completely fantasised place. I feel this brings a real belivable edge to the tale, the music fits and seems to be effortless especially as Lyn Paul manages to bring down the house in "Tell Me It's Not True" with tears streaming down her face. The whole musical is a masterpiece and should be appreciated more. - David | 09 Apr 08 |
| When I see utter garbage like this running for 20 years I begin to despair of the theatre going public. Rubbish tunes, feeble acting and a script that makes light of mental illness - avoid like the plague. - QuincyMD | 08 Mar 08 |
| i luved it sooooo, i kind of cried, such good performs and the show was brilliant - Vicki | 10 Nov 07 |
| Back to Blood Brothers for the first time for 2-3 years and the first time without a Nolan sister or that bloke who seems to be determined to play Eddie into his old age. Some people seem to look down on this show, but it must be doing something right to have survived so long. In truth at times it does seem a bit tired, but that might be due to over-familiarity. However, that ending never fails and just the last 15 minutes are enough to make me think this was not my last visit. Despite the vast number of times they have played the scene, there are always cast members sobbing at the curtain call and even the most hard-bitten audience member is left surreptitiously brushing away a tear. An absolute must-see for first-timers but still rewarding after all this time. - David Baxter | 27 Sep 07 |
| (oops- make that 4 stars!) - Cate Anne | 03 May 07 |
| I can totally relate to the review given below (16/4/07) by Timothy Winey. As it happens, I went to London this April and saw two shows on two consecutive evenings: first Wicked, then Blood Brothers. I agree completely with what Tim has said. Wicked lacks substance, Blood Brothers is high tragic drama. To be fair to Wicked, however, it really depends on what it is you want to see. All musicals are, and always have been, located on a scale with ‘musicality’ at one end, and ‘dramatic substance’ at the other. Of course, the very best- or at least the most popular- are slap bang in the middle of the scale. On the one hand we have Blood Brothers: very dramatic, perhaps almost too much so. I personally thought that although the songs were fantastic, they were a little overused, as were the Eastenders-style drums, and foreboding narrator (yes, we KNOW it’s dramatic irony- get on with it!!). Having said that, it was also an intelligent, thought-provoking, true ‘theatre’ experience, which is why it is so widely used as an exam textbook in schools. Other musicals I’d place in this category include Miss Saigon, possible Jesus Christ Superstar, and Les Mis- incidentally, I think this musical hits the perfect combination of music and drama.) Wicked, along with Cats, Starlight Express and Lion King, is pure fluff. And, on that level, I enjoyed it. I actually thought the music was pretty spectacular, and, yes, I must admit to being wowed by Defying Gravity and No Good Deed. To each their own. Surely there are room for both types in our theatres? Comparing them critically does each a disservice: apples and oranges, as they say. But back to Blood Brothers. I highly recommend this show, and take a tissue or three. Be warned, it is utterly devoid of glitz; it is tough stuff, and a brain is required. But it is most certainly the better for it. - Cate Anne | 03 May 07 |
| Sunday, April 15, 2007 It was my good fortune, on none other than Friday the 13th, to attend a performance of Blood Brothers, starring Helen Hobson. Helen Hobson (Mrs. Johnstone) struck just the right balance of a desperate yet proud mother, as much a victim of circumstance as of class. She could have easily over done the cockney accent, or wallowed in self-pity, but instead projected a consistently dignified and hopeful character despite the inevitability of her circumstances. Her role is obviously very demanding, both physically, musically and emotionally. I commend her for maintaining such consistent energy and authenticity of character throughout. She also projects, despite her many children and daily drudgery, the need to be loved in a very believable and poignantly sexy way (given her circumstances), especially when she muses about dancing throughout (the leitmotif representing hope for her character). Her vocals were technically outstanding and very much captured the complex character of Mrs. Johnstone. My only regret is not seeing Helen as Donna in Mamma Mia; that being said, I think, based on her portrayal of Mrs. Johnstone, she is more suited to subtler, deeper roles. Blood Brothers is a model of economy both in terms of the simple, timeless elegance of the plot (almost Greek), and the economy of the physical staging. To the untrained or worse, lazy, eye, one would be tempted to think the set designer was fired mid stream and that the actors simply had to make do with an incomplete set; after all, this theatre is so poor, they can’t even afford an orchestra pit! To the trained eye, the staging of this deceptively simple show is pure genius, not the result of budget restrictions (and if it is, and they start making more money, I hope they give the extra profits to a very deserving Helen Hobson). In some ways, I think the timelessness and longevity (20 years) of this show is a kind of metaphor for much of what is wrong with society and by extension has much to teach us about imagination and the stagecraft that stimulates it. For those that have never acted, there is probably nothing more terrifying than the task of playing a young child. It is, like playing the role of a drunk, more often than not, over done and caricaturized. The narrator, as a kind of speaking “Fiddler” was another model of economy, propelling the story forward at key stages. (I played the “Fiddler” in an amateur production of Fiddler on The Roof and see many parallels between the fiddler and the narrator in Blood Brothers). The guns were also an elegantly simple yet powerful metaphor representing the innocence of child’s gunplay with the deadly reality of real guns. It may be a stretch, but I see the older brother’s desire for an air rifle as a kind of premonition of things to come. No longer content to pretend to shoot things, he actually wanted (naively) to exert some influence on/over the world by actually shooting things. The roles of the children were outstandingly played, made all the more realistic by the absence of props for them to lean on. The use of invisible horses that the children rode was a stroke of genius, perfectly capturing the natural simplicity of “normal” child’s play that is sadly but surely being replaced by mind/imagination rotting video games and overly stimulating movies. The lower classes growing up too fast was tragically emulated in the role of Linda, the 14 year old girl who thought she was “in love” with Mickey. We as adults know that she probably would change her taste in men 10 times before she was 25 if she was given the chance to develop as an individual without the pressures (real or imagined) of growing up too fast. Teen pregnancy statistics in the UK bear out this tragic fact as much today as ever. The leitmotif use of the “Marilyn Monroe” melody throughout the play highlights just how unrealistically far from the glamorous life Mrs. Johnson is while foreshadowing the tragic (all that glitters is not gold) ending of Monroe’s life and its analog in Blood Brothers. Mickey’s child-like rhyme about “Almost being eight” is another foreshadowing of the young’s tendency to emulate (often tragically) older siblings. It’s almost as if Homo Sapiens are programmed to copy the actions of their elders like many other mammals without realizing that often the behavior of human elders does not promote survival. In contrast, the nauseatingly bad production of Wicked is a perfect case of the Hollywood-driven, committee-designed, grab your mind-numbed attention, politically correct, amusement ride. Rather than praise Blood Brothers, I simply could point out all the foibles of Wicked and then ask the reader to imagine the opposite in Blood Brothers; the only problem is, if you are the type that enjoyed (or forced yourself to pretend to have enjoyed) Wicked, your brain is already so fried as to render any efforts at redeeming you, futile. But just for my morbidly curious, masochistic side, I will do a partial comparison to see if I can save a few of you. 1. Wicked had a mechanical smoke-farting dragon that looked like it fell off a carnival ride while being transported from one seedy county fete to another. 1a. Blood Brothers had only the bare essentials to maximally stimulate the audiences’ imagination and in doing so, dramatically enriched an already excellent storyline. 2. The Monkeys in wicked were ripped off directly from the last planet of the Apes movie, a box office and creative flop by any standard. 2a. The invisible horses in Blood Brothers were a stroke of genius in that they conveyed the mind of a child while activating the imaginations of the audience, forcing the audience into the mind of the children on stage (I felt compelled to play vicariously with the children to imagine the horses and by extension, empathize with them more (the imaginary horse being shot by the boy actually triggered, for me, metaphorically, the realization that his friend was moving away, and along with it, his innocence or childhood. 3. Wicked is so bad, I actually get dizzy trying to decide what was the worst aspect of it. Was it the noise masquerading as music (just try to hum any part of any tune from Wicked; I dare you (I can remember every tune from the Wizard of Oz). Was it the irrelevant props? Was it the haphazard oscillations between singing and speaking where the last few words of certain phrases were sung without any regard for the continuity of the melodic or story-line? I have a new word for this kind of half singing half speaking of totally forgettable melodies; I call it the recita-tease, not to be confused with recitative (a recitative is a narrative song that describes some action, thought, or emotion. The recitative follows the natural flow of the language, and is more a speaking composition than a singing composition. The two styles of recitative are the dry (secco) style and the accompanied (stromentato, or accompagnato) style). These criminally annoying recita-teases were reminiscent of the kind of rapid-fire MTV scene changes from which I expected a night out in the theatre to provide welcome relief. 3a. The story of Blood Brothers is deceptively insightful insofar as it points out the simple fact that children are basically tragic (people in progress) and that despite growing up, the same tragic insecurities that largely define our childhoods haunt us to our graves. I teach young children, and despite their apparent carefree “nature,” they are really tragic in the sense that they do not yet have the self-awareness to fix themselves and as such, are driven, to a large extent, by circumstances and their congenital personalities. To what degree do our circumstances shape us, our personalities, our social peers, etc.? And yet all children, regardless of class, like most adults, simply want to get along and make friends. After seeing Blood Brothers, I was tempted to go up to a single woman in a pub and ask her if she wanted to be my best friend just to see her reaction, but of course we adults know what that reaction would be, unless of course she was wearing a very short tight skirt and shiny shoes in which case she would probably begin going over her pricing structure! 4. Wicked sheds zero light on any important social issue. On the contrary, it trivializes them. We have the green witch, who is different simply by virtue of the color of her skin. Not content with this obvious rip-off from the ugly duckling, they also have to give her a crippled sister (rights of the disabled) and make her an animal rights advocate to boot! If they really wanted to teach a lesson with wicked, they should have showed the consequences of freeing these mutant flying monkeys as they swarmed the countryside, shitting on unsuspecting pedestrians, eating all the crops and ultimately taking over the world (then at least the planet of the apes theme would have carried more weight). The wizard of Oz was no threat; he merely symbolized animal research, already halted in this country do to the terrorist tactics of fanatical animal rights loonies who want to assign human rights to animals and who, through sheer violence and intimidation, not through any democratic process, have stopped all meaningful animal research in the UK to the tune of billions in lost revenues and untold suffering to millions whose treatments and cures rely on such research. 4.a Blood Brothers is a beautifully stripped down condensation of the principal forces separating the classes as much today as ever (premature sexualization of children, total misunderstanding of the role of education [my wife has argued with many a Mickey about why learning the diet of pygmy tribes is designed to grow a bigger, thinking brain by interconnecting ideas (schemas), not the mere memorization of facts, (memorizing facts being merely a necessary byproduct of the process of thinking]). She has actually had students complain that thinking hurts their heads! It is the totally clueless and spoiled upper middle class bourgeoisie green-faced tree hugging, monkey coddling actions of this cliché hippie witch and her ilk that have put Mickey out of a job, no doubt because the box factory noise disturbs the nocturnal sleep cycle of the flying shitmonkeys, dramatically curtailing their daytime aerial bombardments of unsuspecting pedestrians. With humbled adulation, Timothy Winey - Timothy Winey | 16 Apr 07 |
| Although I've been familiar with it for some time, this was the first time I saw Blood Brothers. The story is very contrived (why does EVERYTHING set in Liverpool have to be so depressing, and come down to class?) and drags in act 2. However, there are some great songs (Easy Terms, Marilyn Monroe, A Bright New Day, Tell Me It's Not True) and two performances worth a mention - Antony Costa was surprisingly good, but best of all was Vivienne Carlyle, who was understudying Mrs Johnstone; her voice was fantastic, and her acting spot-on. I don't remember particularly enjoying her portrayal of the narrator in Joseph, but I've been won-over now! I hope she is given the role permanently in the future - she seems a little mis-cast in her regular role of Mrs Lyons (though I haven't seen her in that role, so could be wrong...) - 137.222.132.237) | 25 Jan 07 |
| Excellent! Cried my eyes out!!! Antony Costa was supprisingly brillant! He had found his true talent! The mother was fantasic and Linda and Eddie were played very well! I am going again! - 84.64.108.140) | 07 Nov 06 |
| Saw the show opn 4 October, and thought it was absolutely brilliant! As the Star, Maureen Nolans singing and acting were first class, and very well supported by the other cast members. I hadn't realised how long the Show had been running, but having seen it I'm not surprised. Will definitelt recommend the show to anyone who hasn't already seen it. BRILLIANT SHOW - WELL DONE. Dave, Buckinghamshire. - 195.224.86.194) | 05 Oct 06 |
| Defintely one of the worst musicals I've ever seen. The jokes are corny, the plot is tired and expected, and the music -- oh well; was there any music? It's a real mystery how this miserable show has been going on for so long when there are so many other better productions that don't survive for more than a year. In any event, it's terrible. How on earth does it get such a high score? I guess it must be naive tourists looking for cheap West End performances. They haven't seen anything on stage before so whatever you show them amazes them. Anyway, this show at best deserves to be a local high school budget production. - 80.230.126.125) | 02 Oct 06 |
| fantastic show small cast but brillent - 86.139.49.132) | 20 Sep 06 |
| this is the first show i have been to and i thought it was a great night out i would reccomend it to any one anthony costa was very good so was suzanne carlee as linda - 88.111.10.114) | 30 Aug 06 |
| Saw yesterday's matinee (26th August 2006). Seen it three times now and I swear it gets better! And I cry more each time! Maureen Nolan was amazing.. a brilliant actress and so much emotion in her voice. Anthony Costa fabulous! I had my doubts before the show what with the lame songs he sang in Blue! but he was great... had me laughing one minute then crying the next. The actress who played Linda.. so moving! Amazing performance! Just a beautiful moving show. The audience looked exhausted when the lights came up! FAB FAB FAB!!! DONT LET IT END!!! - 195.93.21.39) | 27 Aug 06 |
| This is my second review, Helly Derbt=yshire! but i just thought i'd say that someone complained about the audience not applauding very often. this should be a good point, not bad. we had a workshop with eddie and narrator on school trip and the narrator said that Willy Russell deliberately interrupted the ending of each song with sometheing, whether it be speech or actions, and if you knew this when you were watching it, you would definately notice it. i thought it kept you drawn into the play, and helped the actors do this too. i noticed and it was good. Blood Brothers is fab! I'm typing up my coursework for it now! - 195.93.21.98) | 12 Jun 06 |
| Wow! I have seen a few west end shows, and i went to see blood brothers for my drama coursework on thursday 8th matinee 06. i think it is the best musical ever, and maureen nolan as mrs johnstone was so fantasstic she has the most amazing stage voice i have ever heard and was very convincing and emotional. eddie's voice was well annoying and didn't mature at all, which spoilt it at the end. linda and mrs johnstone both still crying on curtain calls. antony costa great too.made me cry, escpecially when mrs johnstone tucked dead eddie in, and when she sang easy terms. very emotional. made my teachers cry too! fantastic! well done evryoone! best musical ever! since seeing it on thursday, it is sunday now and i already know most of the songs!!!!!!! - 195.93.21.98) | 11 Jun 06 |
| Blood Brothers is the best musical ever. The cast at the moment are brilliant especially Maureen Nolan as Mrs Johnstone.She puts every ounce of feeling into her part be it funny or sad.Along with 3 others we have been to see it over 50 times in the last year, and will continue to go while Maureen is in it - 212.85.1.3) | 06 Jun 06 |
| I saw Blood Brothers at the end of April...I thought Antony Costa was absolutely outstanding as Mickey...he had me in stitches laughing in the first half of the show when he played the 8 year old...then close to tears in the second half! He played the character with such energy, enthusiasm and emotion, and you can definately see that he was born to be on stage! COME ON COSTAAAAAA!!! :) Maureen Nolan was also very good...but I found the voice/accent of the guy who played Eddie a tad annoying and over the top!!! :S But apart from that it was a top class show and I really want to go and see it again :) - 81.79.157.133) | 02 Jun 06 |
| This show isn't in great shape at the moment: Maureen Nolan's Mrs Johnstone is shrill and clumsily acted for the most part, although she is ultimately very moving. Philip Stewart's Narrator and Mark Hutchinson's Eddie both look as though they've been playing their roles for way too long, resulting in some very strange line-readings and intonation. Vivienne Carlyle's Mrs Lyons must rank as one of the worst performances I've ever seen on the professional stage: I thought she was bad in Joseph but her lack of basic stagecraft is even more apparent here. The mind boggles at how bad the people she beat to get this role must have been. On the upside, Sophia Thierens is excellent as Linda, and Antony Costa is a revelation as Mickey: a performance of charm, energy and genuine raw emotion....a terrific West End debut. With some weak performances it is harder to ignore some of the melodramatic flaws in Russell's piece. And Marty Flood's tatty set really could do with a complete overhaul. The power of the story and the melodic, if simplistic score still gets you in the end but it feels like a longer journey than it used to! - 195.82.123.181) | 08 May 06 |
| Went to London on school trip and saw Blood Brothers. One of the best musicals I have ever seen. All actors were fantastic! - 154.20.128.208) | 05 May 06 |
| I went to see the show on 28th April and thought it was brilliant. Anthony costa was a surprising addition to the cast who performed outstandingly! Loads of funny parts and a standing ovasion at the end. - 194.105.164.249) | 03 May 06 |
| great show From seeing the late Stephanie Lawrence and also Maureen Nolan and now Lyn Paul hope this back in Liverpool for capital of culture year 2008 Leanne Bar oz manchester - 82.42.156.223) | 30 Apr 06 |
| Thank you for a special Easter treat to all the cast and crew on Blood Brothers - it was brilliant. And to those who perhaps like to offer a contrary view, this IS the best musical in the West End and I've seen all the rest (though the flying Chitty from the Royal Circle of the Palladium was special!). Brilliant performances by Maureen Nolan as Mrs Johnstone and Philip Stewart as the Narrator, and ex-Blue member Antony Costa carried off the emotionally charged role of Mickey very well. Bon. - 213.235.24.92) | 21 Apr 06 |
| Another polished performance from Maureen Nolan in the leading part of Mrs Johnstone supported by a wonderful cast. - 195.93.21.39) | 12 Apr 06 |
| I didn't know anything about this show before go to the theatre. I saw it on Thursday April 6th matinee. Well, for the first part I was almost sleeping...a very ordinary show, but by the second act, something got better. When the story goes forward I started to see it whith a different feeling and the very dramatic end, was so emotional. I've found out that half theatre were crying at the final bows. Maureen Nolan, as leading lady, has been so good and she got moved herself by the end. I think this is a very hard acting proof for all cast, which play characters in very different ages and times of their lifes. - 87.0.64.172) | 09 Apr 06 |
| Ok, maybe I'm in the minority, maybe after reading this you will hate me but the fact is I dont really care. Could someone please tell me why? Why is this show such a phenomenon, why are their people in this world who have wasted their earnings by going to see this show forty seven times. I tried to like it I really did, but I fail to see how I can enjoy what is basically a rejected episode of Brookside with bad eightes music. It's not emotional, it's not relevent, it's just cheese. I dont mind saying this because the producers and the wrtiters have now made millions so why should they care, but as far as I can see the whole thing was a waste of time. - 80.47.46.22) | 06 Apr 06 |
| THe show is absolutely amazing cannot understand how anyone can ay differently! All four of the Nolans are amazing as Mrs J! Reduced me to tears their voices were superb as were the rest of the cast everytime I've seen the show, which is too many to count. THe music is mindblowing and people who think different must go back and listen again and perhaps take a heart with them next time so they can show some sort of emotion. Well done to all the cast x - 193.63.160.253) | 04 Apr 06 |
| i have seen BB now about 30 times since 1992, and stillthink it is one of the best shows around , although it has to be careful not to get to melodramatic with the new sound effects etc esp in the new touring production. for me there will only ever be one mrs j and that is STEPHANIE LAWRENCE if you never got to see her she was the best , next is BERNI nolon from the bill , then LINDA , have not seen maureen but denise was the weakest - 62.6.139.13) | 16 Feb 06 |
| I have been watching this wonderful production since the 80s when Barbara Dickson was Mrs J.I have to say I have seen the current cast about 25 times in the the last year, due to Maureen Nolans fantastic portrayal of Mrs Johnstone. She has you laughing one minute , crying the next. Her voice is packed with the emotion needed to carry the story and her rendition of "Tell me its not true" is enough to make even the hardest of hearts cry.Anyone who doesnt like this show just doesnt get it.Others LIke Mark (Eddie) & Michael (Sammy)are fantastic and deserve a special mention too.In my humble opinion Maureen Nolan is the best Mrs Johnstone EVER. - 212.85.1.3) | 31 Jan 06 |
| A decent musical but I fail to see how it gets all of the 5* reviews. People talk about how great Willy Russel's songs are but they all sounded like the same thing redone to me. Yes, they repeat some lyrics (Marilyn Monroe) to tie things together but the music was too repetitive. Mickey was well played but the voice of young Eddie just sounded too much like Stuart of MadTV (Sat night comedy in the States) for me and my wife-- there is being soft and posh and then there is overdoing it. - 69.228.27.173) | 06 Jan 06 |
| Dire. Trite, hollow, cheap, cliched, predictable and juvenile. A musical for people who don't get proper musicals. - 86.136.129.222) | 18 Dec 05 |
| Ticks every box for me. Great story, characters I care passionately about and the use of songs to advance the story, not just slotted in there for the sake of it. I have seen this several times and on each occasion I almost "prey" for everything to be alright. The rug gets pulled from me everytime. Theatre that affects your emotions, is the best theatre of all. - 62.6.139.13) | 09 Dec 05 |
| I ( a 18 year old student from Finland) have seen the show for eight times. I have a very talented (amateur) theatre company and now we are going to make this wonderful show at stage at our capital Helsinki. So if you are for some reason in Finland on late may 2006 ... - 84.231.10.61) | 13 Nov 05 |
| It was good to see this favorite AGAIN, but something seemed to be missing: Lyn Paul! - 68.211.7.165) | 10 Nov 05 |
| I recently saw the show in london with maureen nolan, she tried her hardest and was resnably succesfull but, the show is looking really tired, the set looks out dated and cheap against other sets in the west end and i really think it has come to the end to all the leads they can get that are fresh to the roles. Mark Hutchinson is great as eddie but he looks out of place with a cast thats reasnably quite young!!!!! - 158.94.131.102) | 08 Nov 05 |
| So, Blood Brothers is boring, rubbish and dated? Yes it is dated in the sense that it was written in the 80's but still remains a tour de force in musical theatre today and is excellent in all respects. Having now seen each of the Nolan sisters live in the role of Mrs J, Maureen is certainly on par to be the best. She played it with such passion and actually made the audience believe her rather than sometimes going over the top which has been done on occasion. The whole ensemble seemed to gel well, the music still as haunting as when I saw it 10 years ago, I have never failed to cry at the end yet (yes, I am male!) and sure I will at each performance I see. I see approx. 120 productions a year so anyone who wants to challenge this is welcome too, all you 1 stars and below, but beware, I think I am qualified in what I say! - 64.12.116.138) | 28 Oct 05 |
| Usually i would Put my score at 5 but where has Richard Munday gone!Love the show have seen it many times but Sean whatever!completly upstaged Eddie played by the marvellous Mark Hutchinson!Richard and Mark had a brilliant chemistry Richard is by far the best Mickey we have ever seen!!!!Bring him back please!!!!!!!! - 195.92.67.68) | 17 Oct 05 |
| Cliched twaddle. Blaring music and terrible lyrics. Absoulutly no sense of emotion between any of the characters. I pity the 'actors' in the line-up. It seemed to be well enjoyed by the rest of the audience but then they were inner,inner city London school kids. Who probably wanted to be just like... Marilyn Monroe. - 81.153.18.167) | 11 Oct 05 |
| I went and saw the performance on 6th October with my english class as we are doing coursework on blood brothers I loved the innocence of the play. It shows all too well the effect that class has on a working family. The portrayal of the change from child to teenager to adult by Mickey and Eddie was amazing. I have to say that I did develop a bit of a crush on Michael Southern, the actor who played Sammy. His sheer child like behaviour was brilliant. besides the fact he is so attractive. The performance was so raw and truthful about the effect that Margaret Thatcher had on the liverpudlian population at the time that this book was written. Sheer Brilliance! - 80.3.128.8) | 11 Oct 05 |
| I cannot understand why it has become fashionable to knock Blood Brothers, especially elsewhere on this site. We saw it for the first time for a couple of years and it is still outstanding. Maureen Nolan is the latest from her sisterhood to take on the role of Mrs. Johnstone and she could be the best yet. Some other familiar faces from previous productions still manage to keep the show fresh and of course it packs the most emotional climax of any musical - even more than Miss Saigon. It's also interesting to see that my doppelganger from Southend, Job, has reviewed this show recently. We also took a reluctant teenage daughter who made it very clear that she did not want to be there - the CD has not been off ever since! Blood Brothers is one of my personal top 5 shows and is worthy of repeated visits - if you haven't seen it before don't miss it. - 62.6.139.13) | 30 Aug 05 |
| I went to see blood brothers with my drama class in school and though i'm a fan of musicals i was unsure about going to see this. I was amazed. I was reduced to tears through laughter and crying. It was brilliant. I loved it. I've now bought the album. I'd sit in the theatre and watch it over and over again if i could. I loved it. - 81.131.196.109) | 25 Aug 05 |
| Went to see this again yesterday to see waht sort of shape it was in. Well, all i can say is that it is on very good form. There was a lot more humour in it than i remembered and there were some great performances from all the leads. The standing ovation was very well earned by a cast giving their all. - 195.93.21.70) | 04 Aug 05 |
| I saw the matinee show on Sat 23rd July with my 15 year old daughter (who was having a day off from performing in Billy Elliot The Musical). What a wonderful show it was too. Eddie and Mickey were absolutely briiliant. Both my daughter and I were reduced to tears at the end which did not stop us from rising to our feet to applaud a wonderful cast for their great performance. It was sad though, to be in a theatre with so many empty seats.....and to see only a small proportion of the audience give a standing ovation. I t must be disheartening for the current cast. Still the show has been running for a long time...and is still going! Well done to you all....we thought it was a great show! - 62.252.0.10) | 26 Jul 05 |
| I saw it yesterday at the Phoenix for the secind time. And I still adore it. It was almost the same cast appart from the leading ladies. Maureen Nolan was excellent. I was so gald when I saw that Mickey and Eddie were being played by the same actors. They are so talented, totally believable as children, teenagers and then adults. I may have developed a crush on Richard Munday who played Mickey as well! I still cried at the end as its so moving. And had shivers throughout the entire show. The narrartor plays a terrific part his voice had the hairs on the back of my neck stand every time! - 195.93.21.40) | 15 Jul 05 |
| definetly one of the best shows i have ever seen in my entire life!-wonderfull music wonderfull direction and very talented actors five stars all the way - 195.8.175.50) | 20 Jun 05 |
| What a seriously funny wonderful show. Can't believe it has taken me so long to go and see it as I have seen almost every other show in London, some more than once! The current cast is superb. Mickey's understudy David Cooper deserves a mention as he was excellent. I went on Wednesday to the matinee and it was great to see that a lot of school kids go along to see this as part of their curriculum. Just one request of the teachers please - could you please teach your kids that they need to keep quiet in a theatre during a show!!!! - 81.155.210.98) | 18 Jun 05 |
| This is not the best musical I have seen by a long way. The songs are not that great, which is a big downfall (it being a musical!) and although the cast did put in good performances, it wasn't enough. I would have to say its only worth one viewing at the most, and is not one I'll be seeing again. - 80.177.14.225) | 16 Jun 05 |
| Just back from seeing this masterly show - still astonishing after all these years. I thought the ensemble was outstanding from first to last, and the production - though not terribly imaginative - was as tight as you could wish. Any show that can reduce my cool-image-conscious 15-year-old to tears deserves the standing ovation it got tonight. Two brilliant twins in Richard Munday and the ageless Mark Hutchinson, and an especially impressive understudy performance from Joanne McShane as Linda. What a stunning Scouse-Sophocles tragedy Blood Brothers is. - 82.34.194.62) | 31 May 05 |
| Saw Bllod Brothers on 23/05/05 it was FANTASTIC what a fab evening - 195.93.21.70) | 29 May 05 |
| Having seen Blood Brothers over numerous years with lots of different I have to say that the show last night was one of the best combination casts I have seen in recent years. Maureen Nolan was amazing as Mrs J and Jacqui as Mrs Lyons was also amazing - first time in ages I had real sympathy for her character. The twins played by Mark and Richard were also excellent and all round it was a fab evening. I even cried again. - 62.173.95.145) | 24 May 05 |
| Maureen Nolan is outstanding in this show and deserves all the accolades that will come her way. The cast are wonderful too and the orchestra are as good as any I've heard in this show either in London or on tour. I congratulate Maureen again and its amazing to know shes the 4th Nolan sister to perform this demanding role and once again do it outstandingly. great show, great cast, great music, great story, great theatre, great night out - don't miss it! - 195.93.21.68) | 23 May 05 |
| Five star show, five star performances from the cast. Maureen Nolan has a fabulous voice and plays Mrs Johnstone very well and she is a great singer for the role. The fourth Nolan Sister to take the part and stands square with her illustrious sisters in stamping her own style and authority to the role. Great laugh with Mickey (Richard Munday), especially in his teenage years, and strong performances from everyone. Stephen Pallister was a clear and audible narrator. This show is a must, if only to go through all of your emotions in one night. Take a hanky for your tears of sadness, joy and laughter! - 193.113.37.7) | 23 May 05 |
| Blood Brothers- One of the West End’s Finest As one of the West End’s longest running shows, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers rarely gets the credit it deserves, and is often overlooked for other, newer musicals which are widely publicised. Having seen it twice I would comfortably see it again, because not only does it have a fantastic score, it offers something of a relief from the typical West End offering. Blood Brothers could even described as a play with music as opposed to a musical because the storyline is so strong. The show offers something for everyone, from accomplished theatregoers and those who enjoy examining the technical aspects, to those merely seeking an enjoyable night out. The plot (without revealing a great deal) follows the lives of Liverpudlian twins separated at birth, and examines how class affects upbringing. On the whole, the story is incredibly touching yet witty and well paced. As one of Willy Russell’s most famous titles, Blood Brothers is a rarity in that script, music and lyrics were all written by the man himself. This is perhaps what makes the show so special; it is filled with wit and humour but at the same time there is an underlying poignancy which is unique to Blood Brothers. Russell helps to pull this off by using poetry extensively throughout the first half, enhancing the boys’ mischief and creating a ‘feel-good’ musical. However, the second half is much darker, and though a little predictable, features some gritty yet moving drama. Maureen Nolan is currently starring as Mrs Johnstone, and embodies the role perfectly, with her emotional rendition of “Tell Me It’s Not True” moving much of the audience to tears. Her Liverpudlian accent still needs some work, although she did take on the role very recently, so I am sure this will improve with time. Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson portray the twins, and the chemistry between them was exceptional. Also worthy of a mention is the Narrator (Phillip Stewart), who embodies the idea of fate as well as helping to maintain the show’s quick pace by ‘filling the gaps’ of the story. Marty Flood’s composite set is simple yet remarkably effective; the orchestra are concealed and there are no major set pieces except props that are brought on to represent the different settings. Again this is unusual for West End Shows; they generally tend to have lavish and spectacular set designs. This compromise does however have its merits- there is little to draw the audience away from the central characters. Lighting is also used effectively throughout, often used to replace the set in terms of symbolism. Highlights include the fantastically delivered poem “I wish I was our Sammy” and the dramatic conclusion which, having seen over forty West End musicals and plays, is like no other. It is so poignant and creates a tragic reality, which is seldom found in musicals, something that makes it seem even more moving. Tickets are readily available, and currently there are a number of discounts. Victoria Hearn - 81.159.137.213) | 13 May 05 |
| mate dis is bloody amazin - 195.93.21.67) | 05 May 05 |
| Terrible music, embarassing story, one of the worst musicals in London. - 81.157.13.111) | 02 May 05 |
| I think it was really good! i saw it on Thursday-28th april 2005 with my drama class and i was laughing non stop. Sure some bits were boring but all in all it was worth it. The bit bout marilyn monroe did lame it up but thats not the plays fault, its the author that wrote it! Anyway you should go see it if you havent...its a great musical. - 84.68.93.76) | 02 May 05 |
| this play is a MUST SEE PLAY, i mean it's soooo funny expecisaly when they are children, yet it is super sad at the end. I felt like there was this massive lump of sadness in my throught. There are soo many jokes and the actors are soo brilliant that you forget that your in the middle of lONDON but more like right in the play. Its soo amazing and the scenery and props, well im pratically speachless or typeless! But honestly you ave to see this play, its one of my best plays out of all the plays i've seen in the west end! - 64.12.116.198) | 23 Apr 05 |
| If i could give this show more than 5 - i would. Having read some of the bad reviews on this show I wonder if these people actually bothered to watch the show, or take in its moral implications. The music at times may seem repetitive to some but this is needed to bring the audience back round to the reality of what will happen. If you are looking to leave the theatre cheery and uplifted you'll be dissappointed. VERY funny in countless places with adults playing the roles of seven year olds. But the humor turns into seriousness for the last 1/4 of the show and will leave you thought provoked and teary at the end. If you are not emotionally touched in some then you are not human. Definatly a show worth every penny and will leave you wanting to see it again and again. THIS IS A MUST SEE. - 80.4.224.6) | 04 Apr 05 |
| If you are into it, and to be fair, most of the audience were fair enough. If you aren't this ramshackle drivel will leave you wondering why you didn't leave at the interval. We sat with a couple of Americans who voiced similar opinions to ours and clapped occassionally at the end of the show. I'm certain that the cast put in good performances but it was the poor story and, for a musical, poor songwriting that let the show down so badly. Some jokes worked well but you would need to be asleep not to see them coming. I know a lot of people will enjoy the show but unfortunately we were not amongst them. You could say "it wasn't my bag" - 62.252.192.13) | 20 Mar 05 |
| Saw BB for the first time last wednesday (2nd of March 05) at the Phoenix Theatre, and I loved it. No, actually, love is too weak a word...it's brilliant. It's funny, it's sad, sometimes a little shocking for innocent eyes (Judge, anyone?), and it has some belters of songs. Despite the ending that made me cry, I came away from the theatre singing 'We'll go dancing'...soon annoying everyone I was riding home with, but I didn't care. BB is wonderful...I would recommend anyone go to see it. However sceptical, or cynical you are of theatre, you can't help but love this play. - 81.157.95.97) | 04 Mar 05 |
| Saw BB for the 12th time Saturday 19th Feb matinee. Still absolutely brilliant. I defy anyone not to shed a tear or two. The cast put there heart and soul into the performance and the way the actors change characters at time is extremely clever. It is certainly worth a look. Claire W. - 194.201.25.22) | 25 Feb 05 |
| I went to see blood brothers at Darlington Civic Theatre on a school trip for my GCSE exams and how glad i am to be studying blood brothers. Shaun Jones played Mickey brilliantly and the whole show was very amusing aspecially Mickey what an adorable charachter.Too bad he had to die though. Eddie was aslo funny with his standard english accent and also when Mickey teased him although I am sure many of the audience felt sorry for him. I would most definately love to see blood brothers again and if any one knows when it will be on at Darlingotn Civic Theatre I would be extremely greatfull - 62.254.64.17) | 21 Feb 05 |
| Long runners are often jaded, but based on last night's performance -not this one. I've not seen this show for over 10 years, though I saw it a few times in it's first few years. It was fresher, more thrilling and packed a bigger emotional punch last night than at any other time - what a tribute to this wonderful cast! Several of them were drained and in tears at the end, demonstrating clearly how much they had put in with a half empty house on a Tuesday in February 17 years into the run - now that's what I call professionalism and committment. - 81.136.197.140) | 09 Feb 05 |
| What an outstanding performance... deserved the standing ovation they received... Would watch it again. - 81.132.88.86) | 02 Feb 05 |
| this wouuld be good if all the songs were cut out and it was made in to a straight play. great story, dreadful music. - 217.44.235.113) | 23 Jan 05 |
| Pretty terrible. The acting is awful, apart from Lyn Paul, the songs are occasionally memorable and original but overall are dull, the design is horrendously amateurish and the story is laughably heavy-handed. Not a must-see, then. - 81.156.178.164) | 31 Dec 04 |
| I thought it was wonderful, Lyn Paul has an outstanding voice and was, in my opinion, the best thing about the show. The pace was a little slow in the first half although greatly improved in the second half - Eddie could do with being a little more distinct between the childhood eddie and the grown up one, the voice gets a little irritating. Overall a good show and a thoroughly enjoyable night out. - 81.130.78.4) | 18 Nov 04 |
| lol ye and ow funny was it wen dat guy lked liek ur dad!1 no u cant come then ur such a looza i av ddo my crswrk i av 2 reed sum shaykspeer lol its so gay L0L - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.156.183.99) | 10 Oct 04 |
| OMG like totally, it was like wow, omgomgomgomg i dunno like 6ish, omg like amazin just omg. Is that kl yuh? omg - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.44.92.237) | 10 Oct 04 |
| i fought dis show was da best show ever L0LZZZ it was liek so kl omg i was avin so much fun n den i went n had a buger in mcodanlds and was liek yum cuz i was wel hungry lol hey sam what time ru coming over - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.156.183.99) | 10 Oct 04 |
| Absolutely terrible, cliche riddled nonsense. Avoid at all costs. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.34.49.74) | 16 Sep 04 |
| I have seen Blood Brothers bofore and i thought it was fantastic again. Linda Nolan Plays the part of Mrs. Johnstone with great emotion and Sean jones who plays Mickey was fantasic all through his characters life. Darlington civic Theatre, Well Done people - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 11 Sep 04 |
| A really fantastic show and the current cast really shone when I saw them. An incredibly moving piece of theatre with great music and a wonderfully tragic storyline. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.134.82.11) | 18 Aug 04 |
| it was so bad but who knows - USER: Whatsonstage.com (219.88.46.6) | 17 Aug 04 |
| just like marylin monroe, i left my shoes upon the table ooh and now i am playing at being a kid, just like marylin monroe, oh and blah blah its all soooo melodramatic just like marylin monroe ohh and just like marylin monroe people die at the end. ugh this is just utter twaddle. HOW many times can you say just like marylin monroe in one evening???? if she forgot her lines its only like 5 words till the next just like marylin monroe really bad show - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.154.173.105) | 22 Jul 04 |
| I saw this during it's UK tour...as well as challenging you to find a dry eye in the auditorium by the end (as somebody said before), I also challenge you to find an adult cast who are able to play 10-year-old children as well as the cast of 'Blood Brothers' can!! Really moving show with talented actors, and plenty of funny moments. The musical score isn't the best, but 'Tell Me It's Not True' is worth watching for, surely?! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.0.34) | 15 Jul 04 |
| i really really enjoyed this play. when i went to see it in london i was really amased at how good it was the performers were excellent better than some pros mickey eddie and lida were the best it was so sad in the end i was really badley crying i would really like to see it again and if i hear of it coming round by me again ill be there again front row same as last time enjoying myself so much i wanna say a big thank you to all the performers for making my visit to London worth while and singing and dancing was great it was really money worth spent karla xXxXx - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.37.6.105) | 12 May 04 |
| Cant Fault The show on Wednesday! Top Cast, Top Music. Best Show In The West End! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (172.189.78.142) | 09 Apr 04 |
| Not sure about all of the score but you can't fault the singing and acting, and the story is just incredible. I was in tears, and we all got to our feet at the end of the show. I think BB is so under-rated, this is one show I'll definitely recommend to everyone I know! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.219.59.200) | 23 Mar 04 |
| This play can give most films a run for their money. It is gripping stuff and I wouldn't hesitate to see it again, and again, and again. There is no bad point to criticise and there was no point that was worse than the rest. An experience truly worth it! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.137.102.141) | 22 Mar 04 |
| I have seen it 3 times and i love it! i cry everytime and 2 out of the 3 times i have seen it we gave it a standing ovation, i went to see les mis in feb and the theatre bb is in was v close to the palace and we went to see the theatre and i just wanted to walk right in and sit down and watch! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.76) | 06 Mar 04 |
| I really enjoyed this wonderful show . I will certainly will see it again. The cast were fantastic. Mary Essex - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.6.113.65) | 06 Mar 04 |
| BRILLIANT, EXCELLENT - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.6.113.65) | 06 Mar 04 |
| what a fab show cring with laughter one min crying with sadness the next still can't stop talking about it will go again. sally from undy. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.75) | 01 Mar 04 |
| what can i say this was the first show i have been to if i had a choice of ten shows to see i would see this one ten times over and take everyone i know because i havent stopped talking about it sarah from s wales - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 29 Jan 04 |
| Do NOT go The very worst show Eats sentimental crow Just like Marilyn Monroe..... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (24.45.19.181) | 05 Jan 04 |
| Having just returned from a few days in London, and having seen Blood Brothers a number of times previously, this current production is without doubt, the best I have seen. Lyn Paul as Mrs Johnstone gives a superb performance, and one wonders where she might have been had she taken to the stage even 10 years sooner. Phil Stewart gives an edge to the Narrator role that brings tension and menace. The star of the show, though he would probably hate me for saying, is Stephen Palfreyman as Mickey. An ansolutely stunning performance that takes you through every emotion possible - outstanding. Mark Hutchinson as Eddie is reserved to exactly the right level, and Sarah Hay as Mrs Lyons brings out true emotion in the role. The other star in the current run is Amanda Salmon as Linda, as she makes the role her own and plays it with aplomb. Others worth a mention here are Peter Corrigan as Sammy, Stephen Pallister as Mr Lyons and Paul Dallison as the Policeman. Still playing to standing ovations and floods of tears - for passion and emotion, this beats the likes of Les Mis hands down. Superb. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.254.0.34) | 31 Dec 03 |
| Cliche. Score was pretty cheesy, especially the synthesized drums. On the positive side, the performers had good voices. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (67.67.195.122) | 15 Dec 03 |
| Absolutely Outstanding!!! An emotional rollercoaster...... laughing one minute, crying the next! Would definately like to see this again! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.204.11.131) | 13 Nov 03 |
| WHY WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.225.220.31) | 09 Nov 03 |
| I have seen Blood Brothers about 14 times in the UK on visits over and on broadway on its relatively short run and it is my favorite musical. The way the characters develope, the way relationships change and the fun music make it one to see. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (209.2.7.3) | 05 Nov 03 |
| Simply superb its not often you see a cast preferable to any album recording anyone can hear. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.35.62.168) | 31 Oct 03 |
| Went to see on Tues 26th August. The best show I've seen in years. Excellent. Hats off to all the cast. It's a show that has everything - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.86.96.240) | 31 Aug 03 |
| Cannot criticise! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.5.11.42) | 25 Aug 03 |
| Best Thing I have seen in years !!!!!!!! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.168.171) | 17 Aug 03 |
| Absolutely brilliant, went to see the show in London after having wanted to see the show for a while, it was amazing and unlike what some people say I didn't find it stale, old or tired, the cast seemed vibrant and were giving their all. Excellent songs, great script and a good plot. For anyone tempted to see it, go! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.105.110.199) | 10 Aug 03 |
| brilliant! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.152.76.90) | 22 Jul 03 |
| I went to see this show on 19th June 03. I thought it was brilliant. Philip Stewart as the narrator was excellent as was Linda Nolan as Mrs Johnstone. I didn't get a programme but who ever was performing the part of Mickey...it couldn't have been better played. I was dubious about the idea of aldults acting the part of children but he really made you think he was 7 almost 8 years old. All this combined with the beautiful haunting music. I want to go see it again......... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.67.208) | 24 Jun 03 |
| I went to see Blood Brothers at the Phoenix on the 21st June. As I did not buy the program on the night I'm not sure who was standing in for the guy who usually plays Mickey, but man was he brilliant!! I have seen the play once before and I was still impressed...laughing one minute and crying the next. The song's are beautiful and the way the narrator blends in suddenly reminding you of fate! The only complaint I have is that Linda Nolan's acting was a bit off at times, but the boys by far made up for it and more! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.132.148.218) | 22 Jun 03 |
| I saw the touring show - songs are alright, acting was ok, but I just didn't get the point. The devil is chasing her because of the awful crime she commited of giving up her child to a couple able to offer him a better life?? Surely there are bigger sinners he'd be interested in torturing. The moral of this play (if there is one) is completely warped. Hated it, sorry everybody! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.48.2.42) | 13 Apr 03 |
| TRULY AWFUL, I did not enjoy a second of this tired,stale and extremely boring musical. The songs are awful, as is the acting and I was only kept awake by the loud music. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (80.225.196.13) | 02 Apr 03 |
| Fantastic!! The best show I've seen by far! Sean Jones and Daniel Fine were excellent as the two brothers. DON'T LEAVE AFTER SHEFFIELD SEAN!!!!!!!!! Rebecca Storms voice was amazing, as was Keith Burns. First time I have ever cried at something. Completely out of this world. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.135.103.217) | 26 Mar 03 |
| Has anybody seen it lately? It's a great musical, and that's why I still give it 3, but the production has gone way, way downhill in the past year. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.85.10.64) | 18 Mar 03 |
| As a novice to theatrical musicals I didn't really know what to expect. However, I now can't believe that many more will match up to this. Rolling with laughter one minute, nearly in tears the next the scenes take you on an emotional rollercoaster that culminates with very few dry-eyed folk at the end. Truly wonderful and a must for theatregoers of all ages. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.168.169) | 27 Jan 03 |
| a play with comedy, emotion, tragedy, music, and an interesting story. No complaints whatsoever. A must see! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (159.92.101.24) | 21 Jan 03 |
| Brilliant. The upbeat, lively fist half of the show does nothing to prepare you for the change of emotions after the interval. Laugh in the first half but feel suicidal by the end of the show. Not a dry eye in the house. Top marks to all of the cast especially Mickey and his mum. A must see show but take plenty of tissues. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.1.149.165) | 08 Dec 02 |
| The irritatingly synthetic music rarely transcends blandness, and the repetitious score boasts an endless stream of sentimental ballads. Russell's use of the narrator, at once a social commentator, and a surreal participant in the action is a textbook example of Brechtian alienation. In the context of the play, which asks us to examine Thatcherite Britain, this works extremely well. Mickey's exaggerated dependence on anti-depressants, along with Mrs Lyons's attempt to kill the mother plunge the work into the murky world of melodrama, and somewhat embarrassingly at times, soap-opera. This is only remedied by the blazing theatricality of the adults acting as children, Jennifer's breakdown to a chorus of 'Madwoman', and the satisfyingly basic set design. On the whole, a crowd-pleaser from a skilled dramatist which is satisfying and entertaining, if a little dated. Just one question, though; what happens to Mickey's seven brothers and sisters? - we only ever see Donna-Marie and Sammy. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 29 Sep 02 |
| Oh the emotion. The play is jam-packed with feeling brought to life by the fantastic music, set, acting and Russell's clever Northern script. It's a play of the good times and the hard times and boy you certainly know about it. A worthy West End play. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 07 May 02 |
| A quite extraordinary experience! Whatever you do, don't think that Linda is just another old Nolan girl getting in on the act, because her performance is seriously spectacular, and it will leave you eating an awful lot of humble pie indeed! (Not that the others Nolans were too shabby, either!) Don Roberts - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 05 May 02 |
| i was fortunate enought to see blood brothers in november 2001 with a group of my school pupils , not one of us was dry eyed by the end of a stunning and powerful performance! Linda Nolan put her heart and soul into the performance as did the rest of the cast, i hope i will be lucky enough to see blood brothers again and again as part of our curriculum - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 13 Apr 02 |
| The audience response was unusual. They applauded only three times, at the end of both acts and following a song where one of the permormers does the splits. But there were three curtin calls and 1/3 the audience stood. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 01 Apr 02 |
| I have seen Blood Brothers about 20 times since I have been to London in the past 15 yrs. I have managed to see it with different cast members and enjoy it every time. I am their most dedicated fan and wish everyone could see it, if they can. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 18 Feb 02 |
| Don't go expecting this to be a five star Musical or, like me, you'll be disappointed. It's not a bad play, but it's certainly no Les Mes either... - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 22 Jan 02 |
| Don't know why I was hesitant to go and see this musical but I'm glad I did. Very funny, very sad and very entertaining.The cast were superb. Not to be missed! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 20 Jan 02 |
| I found it just so brilliant and would see it aigain if I could!!! Really worth seeing!!!!! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 16 Jan 02 |
| Blood Brothers with Linda Nolan is outstanding. The quality of Ms. Nolan's voice is unbelievable and she is a terrific actress. When I walked out of the theatre in mid-November 2001, I was wiping away the tears. It was a very moving show. But Linda Nolan was definitely the star. I would recommend this show to everyone. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 11 Jan 02 |
| Stunning and oh so British! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 02 Dec 01 |
| i have seen the show 6 times ...love it!however barbara dickson was very disapointing in liverpool.the best mom i have seen have got be the the nolan sisters both equaly as good as one another.sammy, well he has been in every production i have seen,still greati always wonder how he keeps the character so fresh acredit to his indutry,handsome chap as well!!keep it up i going to see it agin in december! one .. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 12 Nov 01 |
| This production was excellent. I saw Linda Nolan playing the famous 'Mrs Johnstone and thought she was stunning as were the actors who played Mickey and Eddie. It was an extremely moving musical and well worth seeing. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 23 Oct 01 |
| I have seen this on more than one occasion and each time it moves me in different ways. I hope that this wonderful production will again be touring the north east. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 26 Sep 01 |
| WOW!! what an amazing show, superb casting, wonderful score, beautiful lyrics!! Youll be laughing one minute, and crying the next. Its by far the best show in the west end!! :) - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 20 Sep 01 |
| Amazing - superb story, fantastic songs, brilliant acting, great theatre. I saw this on a matinee performance and the entire audience gave a well deserved standing ovation. There isn't a good enough superlative to describe Linda Nolan's performance. Not to be missed. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 20 Aug 01 |
| Doesn't need a huge celeb filled cast as the power of the music and story alone- has been thrilling audiences for years. Everything you have heard or read is true. This is musical theatre at its best. You will laugh, you will cry and you WILL go and see it again! Glenn Meads - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 09 Jun 01 |
| Lyn Paul is stunning in this rollercoaster musical. Her voice is magnificent and totally worthy of another starring role in the West End. A joy to see. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 24 May 01 |
| A thoroughly enjoyable performance given by all. Simple but emotionally strung. Even if you don't like musicals you will still thoroughly enjoy this "play with music". Highly recommended - definitely no matchsticks required! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 24 Apr 01 |
| extremely humerous, extremly sad,stuff you can relate to, uplifting music, excelent performance, best musical i have ever seen, a night to remember ! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 17 Apr 01 |
| A brilliant play worth going to see - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 11 Apr 01 |
| The best musical on the west end stage. Great story full of humour and tragedy - a perfect blend. You'll be crying tears of laughter one minute and tears of sorrow the next. It has the most gripping and moving ending ever !! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 26 Mar 01 |
| Fantastic. It will pull every heart string you have. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 10 Mar 01 |
| I have seen Blood Brothers many times and never get tired of the story. It has humour and sadness and a powerful story. I hope it goes on for a long time. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 06 Mar 01 |
| I thought it was probebly the best show i have ever seen.I liked it so much I keep going back and it gets better everytime! I recommend it to all! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 01 Mar 01 |
| honest betold it was wicked. we were in hysterics by the third time that geeser started singing "the devils got ur number" but by the end i didnt want to leave my mascara had run that much :) - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 26 Feb 01 |
| This is brilliant, full of emotion and a must-see show. It has a fabulous cast and characters, is very well written and performed.It is funny in parts and very dramatic and emotional too. A show you have got to see and will never forget! - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 14 Feb 01 |
| I challenge you to find a dry eye in the house at the finale. This has got to be the most heart-rending, and ultimately, rewarding musical in the West End. - USER: Whatsonstage.com | 06 Feb 01 |
