I have seen this show twice now and both times it has truly shaken me to the core with the sheer power of the script, story line and performances the cast provide. Blood Brothers follows the stories of two twin brothers, seperated at birth due to their mothers unstable financial situation. It then shows how these two, not knowing who they are, grow up as childhood friends, grow up together and then tragically die together.

The two brothers, Eddie and Mickey were (and still are) played by Richard Reynard and Stephen Palfreman, who both give absoloutly stunning performances. Both actors start the show aged just 7 and throughout the 2 hour performance mature it men in theyre early 30's. It is truly astonishing to watch.

The show is more a play with music as apose to an actual musical, and to that extent the music is not one of the main features of the piece. Having said that though, there are some very dramatic pieces of music throuhgout, the most of which being the narrators song, which repeats several times throughout and provides a bone chilling element to the piece.

Costumes are fairly simple, school uniforms and work clothes (i.e milkman, postman etc) for most of the ensemble but this causes the piece to feel very realistic, which really helps with the believability of the piece. One of the best parts about the show would be that it is hilarious but at the same time very moving. At one moment you can be holding your tummy with laughter cramps, and the next holding your tounge so the person next to you doesn't hear you sobbing.

The show runs for roughly 2 and a half hours in total, including the interval, and is currently playing at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End, aswell as beginning it's UK tour recently. If you want a great night at the theatre and don't mind the possibility of leaving with mascara half way down your face, I would strongly recommend Blood Brothers.

Tickets start at £15 from lastminute.com