Coming Soon
Event Calendar
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seize Them (15)
The School for Scandal
Mothers’ Instinct (15)
Back to Black (15)
Summer Term ’24: Gentle Dance
Event Search
- This event has passed.
Blood Brothers
1st March 2022 - 5th March 2022
Event Navigation
Written by Willy Russell, 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.
Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (The Daily Mail). The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.
Returning to the role of Mrs Johnstone, having previously played the part in the West End, will be former X Factor finalist Niki Evans. Also reprising his performance as Mickey Johnstone will be Sean Jones.
The cast also includes Carly Burns (as Linda), Melissa Potts (as Brenda), Jacob Yolland (as the Bus Conductor), Joel Benedict (as Eddie), Josh Capper (as Neighbour), Tim Churchill (as Mr Lyons), Grace Galloway (as Donna Marie/Miss Jones), Andy Owens (as Perkins), Robbie Scotcher (as Narrator), Paula Tappenden (as Mrs Lyons), Daniel Taylor (as Sammy) and Nick Wilkes (as Teacher/Policeman).
Running Time: approximately 2 hours 50 minutes, including interval.
Related Events
Event Reviews
-
John
What a fantastic cast & production. My first time visiting Malvern Theater & will certainly not my last. Every performance was amazing, I cried & laughed with the rest of the audience. The standing ovation was well deserved! Brilliant night, highly recommended.
-
Maggie
I saw Blood Brothers tonight on its first night at Malvern.
What an absolutely brilliant production; the whole cast did a superb job but I have to single out Niki Evans as Mrs Johnstone for her outstanding performance. She looked thoroughly spent when the cast received their well deserved standing ovation. It's unsurprising as she gave her all in a heartwrenching and oh so believable performance. Sean Jones' Mickey Johnstone was completely believable and endearing; absolutely marvellous.
The show exceeded my expectations and I would say the best production I have seen.
Congratulations Blood Brothers
-
Peter - The View From The Stalls
Proof that some things just don't need to be re-invented or re-imagined or changed for a different generation is the fact that Willy Russell's stunning Blood Brothers is back in Malvern for the fourth time in a decade and each time the only noticeable change is the actor playing Mrs Johnstone. This is a role which has, rightly, attracted some major stars over the years, from Kiki Dee to Petula Clarke, from Barbara Dickson to Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm and even Carole King. This time that honour goes to Niki Evans, herself returning to the role for this tour. And yet there is something consistent - the role of Micky has, in outings in 2016 and 2019 and now in 2022, been played by the same actor, Sean Jones. He plays the role of Mickey from the age of 7 (nearly 8…) and therefore is playing a character far younger than his own daughter. Also in the cast for this run is a local interest. Playing various roles from husband to teacher to policeman to, most notably, an upstanding judge (!) is Malvern Theatre stalwart, writer and actor Nick Wilkes.
You have to admit that any show that returns to a theatre again and again and is still a sell-out has something going for it. Audiences, many of whom will have seen the show before, genuinely never tire of the show which tells the tale of twin brothers separated at birth after the mother effectively makes a pact with the devil, an act which carries a price which has to be paid later in life.
Indeed unusually the show starts at the end with two bodies on stage before nipping back to happier if more financially difficult times when Eddie (Joel Benedict who was also in the 2016 run), one of the twins, was given away to a childless family on the basis that the secret must never be told. The other twin is Mickey, the shy childish son who remains with his mother, whilst Eddie goes on to live a pampered and privileged life. These must be two of the best roles in show business – who wouldn’t want a part where you can act like a 7 year-old and upwards and both of them do it brilliantly and believably, in spite of them being as tall as their mum!) with perfectly contrived mannerisms and the well-observed knockabout behaviour that kids have. Paula Tappenden is Eddie’s new mother and the ever-present harbinger of doom (or at least the truth) is Robbie Scotcher. All the singing and the orchestration is, as you would expect, superb.
The standing ovation and multiple curtain calls in Malvern no doubt reflect what happens at every venue and deservedly so – Sean Jones in particular looked physically shattered, but happy, when taking the bow - he has the most physically demanding role as 7 year olds have boundless energy!
So why does a musical about a family break-up with absolutely devastating consequences prove to be so popular? Other than the fact that, however many times you have seen it and know exactly what is going to happen at any particular moment, it genuinely pulls at the heart strings, the show’s author Willy Russell describes it perfectly:
“People do see it more than once and one of the reasons is that it is a musical with a strong book, it has got a tale to tell. This might indict it as not being a real musical but if all the electricity fails in the theatre and you can’t light the show or amplify it, you can still do the show with a piano and even if the piano blows, you can still do the show a capella and it will work. It simply relies on the primal, ageless, universal thing of “I’m going to tell you a story”. Your ears prick up and you stay with it and there’s no better experience”
And that is storytelling and theatre at its very best.
Remember. Make a pact with the Devil and the Devil will have your number. Always.
-
Emma
Saw the show for about my 6th time, but this was AMAZING-the best yet! Niki Evans was fabulous as Mrs J & Sean Jones as Mickey blew me away as he moved from small child to neurotic adult. Sobbed my heart out at the end & the standing ovation they got was well deserved. Just wish I could afford to go & see it again.
-
Mike T
Niki evans stands out as the best mrs johnson ever. The rest of the cast where brilliant as well. Ive seen blood brothers many times in the past.But this is best production to date ive seen.
-
Nicola
Just got back from watching an amazing, emotional, powerful and entertaining performance.
This I one of my favourite show's and today was the best performance! Brilliant, well done to all the actor's. I would really recommend anyone going to see it. -
Anita Hechter
Simply Brilliant..1st time seeing this musical
Nikki Evans was brilliant and her grief at the end was so heart felt
The standing ovations were well deserved of all the cast
I just loved it! -
Emma Johnson
Third time seeing BB. This was the best performance by far. What an incredible voice Niki has and her passion playing this part didn’t go unnoticed. She was absolutely brilliant. We all said what a wonderful show they put on. The narrator, Micky, Sammy to name a few all made us feel like we had seen the greatest performance of this brilliantly written show.
Thank you for entertaining us this afternoon.
-
Jean
What an absolutely fantastic production. The acting and singing from all the performers was outstanding. I loved it, even though i could have cried buckets at the end. Thank you for a wonderful show.
-
Patricia
This was my third time seeing Blood Brothers and it was the best performance to date. Nicki Evens as Mrs Johnson gave an outstanding performance and very moving, especially in the final act when she sang Tell Me It's Not True, I could not stop the tears. Sean Jones as Mickey gave a performance that was outstanding, full of energy. Robbie Scotcher the narrator was better than Marti Pellow's performance.
The whole cast gave a magnificent performance. It was definitely worth my drive from Birmingham. A great venue, will definitely be back again to see other shows. -
Natalie
Truly stunning! What a wonderful cast, music and storyline. Not a dry eye around us & a standing ovation too which was thoroughly deserved.
Simply fantastic. -
Dawn
Finally got to go & see this fantastic production of Blood Brothers. What an amazing show with some truly wonderful performances. The ending had myself & my daughter in tears & the final song of Tell Me It's Not True was stunning. Congratulations to all the actors for such a memorable show which I would recommend to anyone.
-
Bev
Amazing performance well done all involved
Tears at the end !
Thank you
