‘It’s called the standing ovation musical for a reason’
Scene from Blood Brothers – the 2025 Autumn tour cast(Image: Jack Merriman)
It’s not often you can be in the company of hundreds of other people and experience utter silence. That was the case at Hull New Theatre last night when, at various moments, the packed house may as well have been empty, judging by the fact you could hear a pin drop.
Possibly everyone else, like me, was holding their breath. Blood Brothers is like that, the tension palpable, by one turn – I felt like I’d have permanent impressions of my rigid palms imprinted on my lap after the second half – and the laughter infectious, by another.
Willy Russell’s “Liverpudlian folk opera”, the legendary Blood Brothers, tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences. It offers a curious curtain-up scene – an ending at the beginning – but as the Narrator informs you, all becomes clear as the action unfolds.
Vivienne Carlyle is a movingly marvellous Mrs Johnstone and her unruly but lovable brood, including Mickey (Sean Jones) and Sammy (Michael Gillette) are a joy to watch, despite some of the disgustingly accurate portrayals of less endearing playground habits, growing up in the space of a couple of hours. There are wonderful characterisations too in the shape of Mrs Lyons (Laura Harrison), Linda (Gemma Brodrick) and, of course, Eddie (Joe Sleight), along with the rest of this most impressive cast.
They bring to life this emotive story with believable depictions, using movement, speech and song – this is a musical that needs powerful voices and it achieves it with this cast, the Narrator (Kristofer Harding) proving to have a fine set of pipes. The scenery and lighting effects help set the mood, the levity of childish games, the gravity of regret and despair.
The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True and musical director Matt Malone guided the band beautifully throughout. I was first introduced to Blood Brothers, also at the New Theatre, three years ago and wondered how that might impact last night’s appreciation.
While I could recall the main threads of the story, there were definitely new surprise elements and nothing to take away from the enjoyment of a thoroughly good and tear-inducing show in which the actors performed their socks off. My partner was seeing Blood Brothers for the first time and was bowled over by the whole experience.
He said he found it had everything – drama, tension, comedy – and a first-class cast who worked tirelessly to put across a stunning production. The multi-award winning Blood Brothers ran for more than 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only five musicals ever to achieve that milestone.
It was affectionately christened the “standing ovation musical” by one news outlet and it’s definitely called that for a reason – the Hull New Theatre was on its feet well before the final strains died away and I think there were maybe four encores before we were willing to let the actors be and leave.
Blood Brothers is running nightly at Hull New Theatre until Saturday, April 4, with matinee performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Age guidance is 12-plus.