I think Blood Brothers showcases what drama is all about as it hits Sunderland Empire stage

Nicknamed within the theatrical world as the ‘Standing Ovation Musical,’ you have to ask yourself why this is.

The answer is simple. Willy Russell’s drama showcases what drama is all about.

It’s about injustice and the overarching power of love. This story is one of nature over nurture.

Twins, separated at birth grow up to lead totally different lives, only for their paths to later cross with fatal consequences.

Originally a straight play first performed on Merseyside in 1981, two years later Russell added a brilliant score featuring some of musical theatre’s most powerful songs including ‘Marilyn Monroe’, ‘Shoes Upon the Table’ and the heart-breaking ‘Tell Me It’s Not True.’

I first saw this show in 1984 with the boxer John Conteh as a horribly menacing narrator and Rebecca Storm setting the benchmark by which all future Mrs Johnstone’s must be judged.

The lead role of matriarch Mrs. Johnstone has been played by a long list of top stars including Mel C, Barbara Dickson, Kiki Dee, Petula Clark, four of the Nolan Sisters and even the legendary Carole King and I’ve managed to see quite a few of them.

In this production Vivienne Carlyle for me lacked authenticity and at times seemed too operatic in some of her big numbers.

Sean Jones and Joe Sleight as the twins Mickey and Eddie bounced off each other well and have some of the best comic lines in the show – and there are some very funny one- liners, all of which were perfectly delivered.

Jones as Mickey was particularly convincing in the show’s latter stages as he cracks up due to the pressures of his circumstances.

I felt the strongest performance came from Gemma Brodrick as Linda, the girlfriend of Mickey who also becomes drawn to Eddie in the face of Mickey’s breakdown, thereby causing the twins to finally cause each other’s demise.

Haunting all of the most telling scenes is the Narrator, whose role is to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience.

Kristofer Harding plays this part in a softer manner than any previous narrator I’ve seen, but the consequence was I felt he lacked the presence normally associated with the role.

Despite my reservations the show received its regular standing ovation and the cast came back for umpteen curtain calls after Russell’s telling closing lines, “And do we blame superstition for what came to pass?

Or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?” If you’ve never seen ‘Blood Brothers’ do not pass up the chance to see one of theatre’s modern classics.

If you have seen the show before this production will not live in the memory as the best.

Blood Brothers is at the Sunderland Empire until Saturday 21st March 2026.

Tickets available at https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/woman-in-mind/sunderland-