| 2002 |
In 2002 Lyn Paul returned to Blood Brothers for a month before joining the cast of Boy George's musical Taboo. Lyn's performances in Malvern, Liverpool and the West End were all well received by the critics.
Meanwhile, pop impresario and Popstars judge Louis Walsh claimed that he'd found "the next New Seekers."
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| Daily Telegraph, 3rd January 2002. |
Sprinkling of magic dust saves the day
by Dominic Cavendish
The self-styled "villain of the year", who "trashed" the previous year's panto at the Theatre Royal, has a go at Dick Whittington. Let others dwell on this review!
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| Leicester Mercury, 5th January 2002. |
25 YEARS AGO
The Leicester Mercury recalled the day when two Glenfield girls, Elizabeth Copeland (15), and Jenny Marlow (14), wrote to the BBC programme Jim'll Fix It, asking if they could meet the New Seekers.
"Their greatest ambition was to meet the group's five members, but to sing with them on television was beyond their wildest dreams."
Lyn Paul was no longer a member of the New Seekers when the group appeared on Jim'll Fix It.
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| The Times, 27th January 2002, page 4. |
Six, lies and videotape
by Liam Fay
Louis Walsh is quoted in an article about the Irish Popstars winners, Six: "They're going be the next New Seekers... If we're lucky, we could get three, maybe even four, years out of them."
Don't think so, Louis.
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| Record Collector, No. 270, February 2002, page 85. |
The British Psychedelic Trip Part 40
by Surley G. Febbs
Psychedelia at Abbey Road
A review of a CD that featured a track by "New Seekers' forerunners" The Nocturnes (Lyn Paul and Eve Graham both went on to become members of the New Seekers) and another by Mandrake Paddle Steamer (Brian Engel also went on to join the New Seekers) - "aurally and visually the business."
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| EuroSong News, No. 77, February 2002, page 29. |
Peter Doyle 1949-2001
obituary by Steve Liddle
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| Bromsgrove Advertiser, Wednesday, 20th March 2002. |
Smash hit show
"Following a sell out visit in September, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers is returning to Malvern Theatres in Grange Road, Malvern, for six nights...
Top musical star Lyn Paul will take the role of Mrs. Johnstone..."
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| Malvern Gazette, Friday, 22nd March 2002. |
Award-winning musical is filling the seats at theatre
"It sold out the first time it touched down in Malvern 18 months ago, but another opportunity to see Willy Russell's award-winning musical Blood Brothers is being offered throughout the first week in April...
It tells the story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be re-united by a twist of fate and a mother's haunting secret.
Mrs. Johnstone (Lyn Paul), a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left with the task of bringing up seven hungry children..."
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| Guardian newspapers (Cheshire), 28th March 2002. |
Brothers' bright new day
by Luke Traynor
"The musical hailed as 'the greatest of the decade' comes to the Liverpool Empire
next month to herald the start of A Bright New Day...
Ex New Seeker, Lyn Paul, plays Mrs. Johnstone, and is joined by Paul Crosby (Mickey) and Mark Hutchinson (Eddie), for the Liverpool production only."
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| Bromsgrove Advertiser, Wednesday, 3rd April 2002. |
Show is still a stopper!
"Top musical star Lyn Paul plays the role of Mrs. Johnstone.
A brilliant voice which made the most of some show-stopping songs - backed by an excellent and vibrant cast."
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| Malvern Gazette, Friday, 5th April 2002. |
Blood Brothers - Review: Malvern Theatres
by Jill Hopkins
"Lyn Paul was Mrs. Johnstone. Stylish singing, including Marilyn Monroe, characterised movements, innate love of her children (especially of the twin she gave away), and the aging of her as life took its toll, made this a memorable performance."
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 5th April 2002, page 23. |
Showbiz in her blood;
Home and family are at the top of Lyn Paul's priorities. But that doesn't mean the former New Seeker has given up performance altogether.
by Philip Key
Philip Key interviewed Lyn Paul by phone: "When I telephoned she was at home with her son and cooking dinner for her husband before she went out." The article reviewed Lyn's life in show business, covering her early days with the Chrys-Do-Lyns, her success with the New Seekers, her solo career and her brief marriage to Liverpool club owner Vince McCaffrey: "It only lasted six months and doesn't seem like a marriage at all."
The article previewed Lyn's appearance in Blood Brothers at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool. Lyn explained that she first got the role of Mrs. Johnstone by writing to producer Bill Kenwright: "He sent me a letter back saying fine, come and see me and I was in the show the following week."
Lyn talked about working with Colin Baker in the BBC drama Doctors: "He was tremendous fun and a great help."
She also talked about her forthcoming role in Taboo: "To be honest I don't know a lot about it. I am playing a mother - another mother role!"
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| Liverpool Echo, 5th April 2002, page 6. |
Lyn's mother of all musicals: Blood Brothers back at Empire
by Joe Riley
An interview with Lyn Paul in which she talked about her return to Blood Brothers. The article is accompanied by a photo of Lyn with her son Ryan taken in 1998.
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| Daily Post (Liverpool), 10th April 2002, page 18. |
Philip Key's Art Diary
THEATRE: Blood Brothers - Liverpool Empire
review by Philip Key
"Ms. Paul tackles the songs head-on in glorious voice."
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| Liverpool Echo, 10th April 2002, page 10. |
It's in the blood
Empire Theatre: Blood Brothers
review by Joe Riley
Lyn got a 'seven out of ten' review from Joe Riley.
"Ex-New Seeker Lyn Paul returns after her Christmas 1998 outing, still as a Transpennine mother figure rather than a Wacker slaving over a hot pan of scouse.
Her fine, resonant vocals serve Willy Russell's music more than the spoken words, where she doesn't always turn up the emotional voltage, and is certainly less worldweary than some of the other Mrs. Johnstones in producer Bill Kenwright's pack.
That said, the final scene predicted at the outset, so nobody minds giving the ending away remains more a guarantee of audience tears than the sight of Christmas puppies on Death Row."
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| Guardian newspapers (Cheshire), 18th April 2002. |
DID you ever hear the story of the Johnstone twins?
Well, a Liverpool audience rose last week to acclaim the musical that has received a standing ovation in the West End for the past 13 years.
by Luke Traynor
"Lyn Paul, who found fame with the New Seekers, plays battle worn Mrs. Johnstone and delivers a stunning performance, giving us a voice that combines power with graceful beauty."
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| The Independent, Thursday, 2nd May 2002 |
As they liked it: the ancient fashion for cross-dressing
by Brian Viner
It's true! But who'd have expected to find a mention of Lyn Paul in an article about Shakespeare and transvestism?
"Britain's cultural heritage would be much the poorer without pantomime dames and principal boys. My children's Christmas was greatly enriched by Lyn Paul, formerly of The New Seekers, and her interpretation of Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. As was mine, if I'm honest, especially when she sang I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing."
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| The Scotsman, 23rd May 2002, page 5. |
Review: Taboo
by Kate Copstick
"'Love is lovelier', the song says, 'the second time around'. And so, emphatically, is Taboo. Almost everything I felt was wrong with it before has been addressed and rewritten by George O'Dowd...
The show has a new Josie (Lyn Paul giving a great downtrodden housewife who finds her wings and sings)."
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| Time Out, 29th May 2002, page 159. |
Taboo, The Venue WE
review by Jane Edwardes
"Taboo sets out to be outrageous, but not so outrageous as to put off a mainstream audience. You could even take your mother, but then mothers, in the shape of Lyn Paul's Josie James, are the saintly heroines of this show."
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| Daily Telegraph, Wednesday, 3rd July 2002. |
Boy George's trash glitters brightest
review by Charles Spencer
"There is strong acting and fine singing from Luke Evans and Dianne Pilkington as the heterosexual love interest, and from Lyn Paul as Billy's mum."
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| Sunday Express, 29th September 2002, page 62. |
Review: Theatre and Opera
Clary's Spot of trouble
by Mark Shenton
"Taboo... is being galvanised by the arrival of some new cast members. The best of them are the handsome Declan Bennett as Billy and Lyn Paul (formerly of the New Seekers), who is gutsy and gritty as his mother."
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| Birmingham Post, 23rd November 2002, page 52. |
Navel-gazing Robbie returns
Reviews by Andrew Cowen
Does Robbie Williams really sound like the New Seekers? So Andrew Cowan would have us believe:
"How Peculiar has Robbie doing his best Liam impression, Feel is the first number one heel-dragger, Something Beautiful sounds like the New Seekers..."
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