Devon

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/x-dance-Previous-Cast-Featured-The-2024-Autumn-touring-Cast-Of-Blood-Brothers-Photo-Credit-Jack-Merriman-.1-1024x683.jpg" alt="dancing in a scene from blood brothers stage musical" class="wp-image-14829" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Jack Merriman</figcaption></figure>



Few musicals have drawn quite such ardent acclaim as the legendary <a href="https://www.kenwright.com/productions/blood-brothers-uk-tour/">Blood Brothers</a>. Written by Willy Russell, it tells the tragic tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences. There’s a reason it still sits on the GCSE English curriculum ’til this day – it’s a classic – a story that grips, fascinates and entertains. What first started out as a simple play touring local schools, fast grew into a global musical epic (Bill Kenwright’s production ran for more than 10,000 performances in London’s West End).



Now it’s back with a UK tour, on at Queen&#8217;s Theatre Barnstaple from 16-20 Sept. The Muddy Notts Editor, Cathy, has just seen it at Nottingham Theatre Royal and has given us her verdict.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-production">THE PRODUCTION</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/x-Vivienne-Carlyle-Sean-Jones-Blood-Brothers-UK-Tour-2024-Photo-Credit-Jack-Merriman-1024x683.jpg" alt="mother and son in a scene from blood brothers stage musical" class="wp-image-14830" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Vivienne Carlyle and Sean Jones / by Jack Merriman</figcaption></figure>



I’ve loved Blood Brothers ever since I studied as a teen in drama lessons. Not even the dull delivery of disinterested classmates being forced to read aloud could dim my enthusiasm for the romp of a story. Serving up the issues of class divide, nature v nurture and coming of age, it’s catnip for teenagers and a story that sticks with you. But, in 40 years, I’ve never managed to catch the musical – my hopes were high.



Curtain up, and the score works its magic from the get-go. Vivienne Carlyle&nbsp;leads the cast as Mrs Johnstone and she is astoundingly good. Her gorgeous rendition of&nbsp;Marilyn Monroe&nbsp;is pin-sharp, delivered with just the right amount of bittersweetness. Her performances earned her nightly standing ovations in the West End and I can see why she’s been tempted back into the lead role – it’s just made for her.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/Joe-Sleigh-Gemma-Brodrick-Sean-Jones-Blood-Brothers-UK-Tour-2024-Photo-Credit-Jack-Merriman-1024x683.jpg" alt="three actors in a scene from blood brothers stage musical" class="wp-image-14831" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Joe Sleight, Gemma Brodrick &amp; Sean Jones / by Jack Merriman</figcaption></figure>



She has the audience on side from the start, her portrayal of the hard-up scouse single mum tender, raw and utterly convincing. The about-to-be-separated twin brothers, Mickey and Eddie, are played&nbsp;by Sean Jones&nbsp;and&nbsp;Joe Sleight, and the mother/son stage chemistry is electric. This is a combo years in the making – all three racking up years in the Blood Brothers family. There’s not a whiff of staleness though.



The set is as simple as the story, depicting a council estate in urban Liverpool on a raked stage (possibly the most extreme downward slope of a stage I’ve ever seen – in fact I was a bit worried the pram would hurtle off into the audience). The effect? An intimacy with the audience that’s really striking. It also lends itself to the haunting, lurking presence of narrator Kristofer Hardin, drifting in and out of sight. His performance is one of the many triumphs of this show – brilliantly unsettling and a commanding crystal-clear voice that cuts through as the conscience and demands our attention as much as his piercing eyes.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/Vivienne-Carlyle-and-Kristofer-Harding-Photo-credit-by-Jack-Merriman-x-1024x683.jpg" alt="scene from Willy Russel's Blood Brothers " class="wp-image-14878" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The brilliant Vivienne Carlyle &amp; Kristofer Hardin / by Jack Merriman</figcaption></figure>



No risk of spoilers in Blood Brothers, the opening and closing scenes are one and the same, so you know from the off exactly how it’s gonna end. And maybe it’s that bittersweet display of bonding accompanied by a sense of foreboding that makes Blood Brothers so powerful.



The music – with repeated refrains, woven through the entire play – is a character in its own right. I loved it. From the catchy, disconcertingly upbeat&nbsp;Take a Letter Miss Jones&nbsp;to the oft-repeated refrains of&nbsp;Shoes upon the Table, it’s weird that these melodies don’t become irritating after hearing them so much. But they definitely don’t. In fact, it was utterly joyful to hear Hardin’s taunt of&nbsp;Now y’know the&nbsp;Devil’s Got Your Number&nbsp;– every. single. time. I think it’s just delivered with such panache and passion that its power just doesn’t fade a bit.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/The-2025-Autumn-Tour-Cast-of-Blood-Brothers-Production-Images-Photo-credit-by-Jack-Merriman-19-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="cast of autumn 2025 blood brothers tour" class="wp-image-14877" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The cast of the Autumn 2025 Blood Brothers tour / by Jack Merriman</figcaption></figure>



But it’s that famous finale that really delivers the sucker punch that never fails to raise audiences (ours included) to a frenzied standing ovation. Still a complete shock that feels inexplicably unexpected when it happens, it’s the raw, bittersweet beauty of the song&nbsp;Tell Me it’s not True&nbsp;that then transports you to another place.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/nottsderbyshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/09/x-on-floor-Previous-Cast-Featured-The-Autumn-2024-touring-Cast-Of-Blood-Brothers-Photo-Credit-Jack-Merriman-1024x683.jpg" alt="FINAL SCENE FROM BLOOD BROTHERS STAGE MUSICAL" class="wp-image-14832" /></figure>



Carlyle’s voice is astounding. It starts simple and builds, layer on layer, as more and more cast members pile in to create an incredible crescendo. Wow, wow, wow! It felt like the whole of Nottingham was on its feet, united in standing ovation by the end. And phew! This cast cannot be accused of ever being on autopilot. The emotion is real and raw. It took them until beyond the fifth curtain call to recover their composure. How the hell they do this every night (and for years on end) is beyond me.



This simple story grips you by the throat from the start and doesn’t let go. Brilliant stuff – catch it if you can.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



Good for:&nbsp;Go, go, go! Just a great story, wrapped in a stunner of a score and delivered by a powerful, near-perfect cast. Exhilarating.



Not for:&nbsp;Younger kids. The age guidance is 12+, but this is powerful stuff with racy language and full throttle feelings.



<a href="https://queenstheatre-barnstaple.com/events/blood-brothers/">Blood Brothers</a> is at Barnstaple Queen’s Theatre (Tues 16 – Sat 20 Sept). For a full list of dates click <a href="https://www.kenwright.com/productions/blood-brothers-uk-tour/">here.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-want-more-culture-this-month-go-here">WANT MORE CULTURE THIS MONTH? Go here&#8230;</h2>



<a href="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/this-month/book-festivals-art-theatre-comedy-september-in-devon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Books, art, comedy! MORE September sizzlers for your diary</a>



<a href="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-and-culture/heritage-open-days-devon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heritage Open Days: Discover Devon&#8217;s hidden gems for free</a>



<a href="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-and-culture/devon-open-studios-highlights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy&#8217;s pick of Devon Open Studios 2025</a>

Theatre review: Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers

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