One of the best I've seen!!!! (Blood Brothers (Birmingham))

Member Name: Sophie wastall

Product:	Blood Brothers (Birmingham)
Date:	05/11/06 (340 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mickey the best character by far!!!

Disadvantages: The narrators performance

On this occasion of blood brothers, the lead role of Mrs Johnstone, the down-trodden single mother of plenty was taken by Denise Nolan. This time, they've kept it in the family, with younger sister Linda donning the apron and worn-out overcoat. She makes a decent job of it but I found her to be too clean and polished, with barely a hair out of place. The role demands the sympathy of the audience - I would like to see a grubbier, earthier and pitiful Mrs J. Linda Nolan. She sang her part well, but that after all, is her forte!!!!

Sean Jones makes a splendid return to the Hippodrome as the rougher half of the Blood Brothers having enjoyed success as Mickey two years ago. This time I found him even funnier, and certainly even sadder as he battled forlornly - and tragically - to overcome the ravages of life that had been thrown at him. He was by far the best character and for a man to play a kids part is hard so I truly take my hat of to him!!!!
Against him, Joe Fredericks makes a near-perfect Eddie: the clean-cut, well-educated half of the twins separated at birth by a combination of rich desire and abject poverty. Together they provide the greatest humour, and ultimately the rawest of emotions.

Between the pair of them comes the love of their lives, Linda, perkily played by true Scouser Linzi Matthews. She brilliantly transforms from the teasing teenager to the suffering wife, mother-to-be and grieving widow; grieving over the one brother she married; the other she loved but couldn't marry.

Personaly I found the narrator very hard to get on with, played by Keith burns who is well known as THE narrator for blood brothers, he played a very stilted performanc wich i felt let the play down a little!!!

Talking of which it set me thinking of previous performances, and previous casts I've seen. Top Mrs Johnstone would have to be Barbara Dickson, followed closely by Rebbeca Storm, while Mark McGann, Con O'Neill and Peter Capaldi would have to battle it out for the lead roles, with Joe McGann winning a comfortable race for the part of Mickey's elder, naughtier brother Sammy. It's a great parlour game for Blood Brothers fans, of which there were plenty in evidence at the Hippodrome.

If you’ve never seen Blood Brothers, then please take my advice, and get along to see it immediatly!!! IT IS NOT WORTH MISSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summary: THE best performances of a life time with comedy and sorrow entwined to make a superb show!!