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Show: Blood Brothers
Society: New Victoria Theatre (professional productions)
Venue: New Victoria Theatre. The Ambassadors, The Peacocks Centre, Woking, Surrey GU21 6GQ
Credits: Written by Willy Russell. Produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd.
Type: Sardines
Author: Paul Johnson
Performance Date: 17/01/2024
Blood Brothers
Paul Johnson | 18 Jan 2024 17:16pm
Blood Brothers is a great show! And, even though I’ve already reviewed this particulcar production, co-directed by, and fully produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd., around nine times… I’m so glad I made the trip to Woking last night to see it in a packed New Victoria Theatre. When you see a show multiple times there is always something new you notice about the show. This time – for me – it was the power of the play coupled with the quality of acting. Willy Russell’s catchy musical numbers coupled with some of the most powerful onstage drama you are ever likely to see makes this one show you will not want to miss.
Luckily, Sean Jones – the equivelent of Rocky Horror Show‘s Kristian Lavercombe (Riff-Raff) – has returned to the role he was destined to play. He’s simply excellent as twin Mickey Johnstone. I cannot keep up with how many perfprmance Jones has played Mickey – but it’s a lot (trust me). In a true game of two alves the fist is spent watching the twins grow up, in very different backgrounds. The second, post interval, is spent watching the boys’ new-found interest in girls, namely Linda (with the legs – played by Gemma Brodrick).
I guess the benefit of having such a successfull and long-running show is that is gives you plenty of time to make scenes as close to perfect as possible. Yo that end Bill Kenwright’s definitive version in not only the orginal West Ens version but is the ONLY version arguably worth seeing. Hence the attendance of a myriad of school parties last night. The creator’s other hits such as Shirley Valentine and Educating Rita is and was not there by accident. Blood Brothers has become both hilariously funny and a tear-inducing tragedy all in a single show.
The well-to-do other twin Eddie Lyons (Joe Sleight) is also excellent but it is Narrator (Scott Anson) who threatens to steal the show. In the often celebrity filled role, Anson makes the role his own and enjoys timing his lines to perfection. To break the show up and inevitably keep it more interesting for the cast Mrs Johnstone was played by the actress who usually takes on posh Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley) last night while Mrs Lyons herself was played by Amy Jane Ollies – both were excelleny!
MD Matt Malone’s six-piece band / orchestra were spot on complate with the show’s eighties-style EastEnders duff-duffs played on an electric drum pad. One feels the music hasnt changed much since those good ole West End days… but the quality of reproduction has.