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REVIEW: Blood Brothers Review at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
Cheltenham
'Blood Brothers' is a timeless tale of destiny, romance, superstition, and the dividing lines of social class. Two brothers, separated at birth, meet later in life and suffer a cruel twist of fate.
Written by Willy Russell, also known for his similarly enduring play 'Educating Rita', this Olivier award-winning musical first debuted in 1983. With its long history of brilliant performances, we were especially excited to see the musical performed at the gorgeous Everyman Theatre, and it did not disappoint.
This production is directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, and features some stunning sets. Sometimes the scene will blend seamlessly into the next with a particularly creative prop, lighting, or costume transition. Sometimes the Narrator – played by an excellently operatic Richard Munday – will shock you into the next song with a dramatic head turn. The Narrator, an ever-present reminder of the twins’ fate, skulks around the set, lifting chairs to his shoulders during scene changes like a cape. It really must be seen to be believed!
The cast is overall fantastic. Joe Sleight as Eddie is the standout performance in the child characters, exuding a childlike wonder and joy in the first act. Sleight nails the performance and had great chemistry with Sean Jones as the exuberant and often scene-stealing Mickey. Niki Colwell Evans of X-Factor fame is a stunning Mrs Johnstone, bringing a ray of sunshine to the “Bright New Day” numbers as well as haunting vocals and heartbreaking emotion to the opening and ending “Tell Me It’s Not True” segments.
The audience was very receptive to the humour, especially after the interval when the cast had us rolling in our seats. The cast was also having a lot of fun during the high-energy numbers, and really pulled out all the stops during the many emotional moments. This is a musical roller-coaster, full of joy and sorrow that will surely bring a tear to your eye.
This is the first time at the Everyman Theatre that I've witnessed four standing ovations for the cast, proving that this musical really is a crowd-pleaser. The production includes sudden loud noises that some audience members may be sensitive to, but the overall experience is tremendous and certainly not one to miss.
Blood Brothers is showing at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham until Saturday 15th April 2023.
Review by Leah.
The Mystery Reviewer
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