Blood Brothers - New Wimbledon Theatre (Review, 2006)
Review by David Munro
BLOOD Brothers falls between two stools; social commentary and outright melodrama and does not sit happily on either.
As one would expect of Willy Russell, the dialogue and characterizations are good but the plot is driven forward by a series of coincidences that leave you gasping at the author’s audacity.
Originally, a one-hour play written for a Liverpool theatre group, the conversion into a musical is only partially successful and, to me, what works as a play doesn’t always translate well to the musical stage.
If melodrama is wanted, treat it as such (to wit Sweeny Todd) but a social conscience seems unreal when grafted on, which Russell attempts to do in Blood Brothers.
As everyone knows by now , the plot is lifted from the old Melodrama, The Corsican Brothers, and deals with twins, separated at birth who meet by chance, become friendly and then fall out over a girl and end up by killing each other.
The performances at least give, to paraphrase WS Gilbert, verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
Linda Nolan as mother to the bloody brothers is a more than worthy successor to a role played in the past by a line of dramatic divas, which include Barbara Dickson (the originator of the part), Vikki Carr, in the first revival, and the late Stephanie Lawrence, who played it triumphantly in New York and opened the current production at the Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road.
She has really taken over the part and manages to make the constant reprises of “Marilyn Monroe” individual and effective even more than when I last saw her two years ago.
Stephen Palfreman and Craig Whiteley are both excellent as the eponymous brothers and achieve in making the relationship between them touching and convincing, emphasizing the tragedy of their deaths which, if my memory serves me right, has been altered since I last saw it.
Stephen Palfreman, in particular, gave one of the best impressions of gawky youth as the young Mickey that I can remember.
Louisa Clayton makes a charming transition from a gauche schoolgirl to tormented adult; while in the role of adoptive mother to one of the brothers, Sandy Walsh successfully fleshes out an under-written and thankless part.
Keith Burns continues to give the Narrator an Irish charm while the rest of the characters – neighbours, friends, policemen and teachers are a Greek chorus who fit into the plot and keep it going merrily on its way.
It would be invidious to single any one of them out from an excellent supporting cast save to say that they, with the principals, do their producer and co-director, Bill Kenwright, proud – as does Andy Walmsleys’s economical but effective settings.
Their singing of the concerted numbers was harmonious; in fact, without exception I would say that all the singing in this production was well above the standard one has come to expect from a touring production.
Moreover, the sound was free from distortion or over-amplification which, in this day and age, was a great treat – well done Tom de Keyser, Mr Conductor Man!
The show as a whole continues to retain the freshness of the original even though this must have been the third or fourth touring version I have seen which, again, is to the credit of Bill Kenwright and his co-director, Bob Tomson.
As I have said before, a most satisfying evening’s entertainment which should not be missed – after all, you are getting a West End show at Wimbledon and for reasonably priced tickets – what could be better than that?
Blood Brothers – Written and Composed by Willy Russell.
Directed by Bob Tomson & Bill Kenwright.
Designed by – Andy Walmsley.
Lighting – Nick Ritchins.
Sound – Ben Harrison.
Musical Director – Rod Edwards.
CAST: Linda Nolan; Keith Burns; Stephen Palfreman; Craig Whiteley; Sandy Walsh; Louise Clayton; Daniel Taylor; Jon de Ville; Matt Slack; Chloe Taylor; Simon Willmont; Mark Hammersley; Jonathan Black.
Produced by Bill Kenwright by arrangement with Bob Swash.
New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG.
From Mon, October 30 – Sat, Nov 4, 2006.
Evenings: 7.30pm/Matinees Thurs & Sat 2.30pm
Box Office: 0870 060 1827