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The programme cover
from the
1998 production of
Blood Brothers
featuring
Lyn Paul
as Mrs. Johnstone.
 |
Blood Brothers
souvenir brochure.
| SITE LINKS In Print: Blood Brothers' programmes Phoenix Theatre UK tour 1997 UK tour 2002 UK tour 2006 UK tour 2016 UK tour 2017 UK tour 2018 UK tour 2019 UK tour 2020 UK tour 2021 Photo Album Photo Album: Blood Brothers |
 |
Blood Brothers
1998 London
10th Anniversary
featuring
Lyn Paul
as Mrs. Johnstone.
 |
Lyn Paul
as Mrs. Johnstone
with
Warwick Evans
as the Narrator.
 |
Lyn Paul
as Mrs. Johnstone
with
Andy Snowden
as Mickey.
| Blood Brothers |
Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers was first performed at the Liverpool Playhouse on 8th January 1983 with Barbara Dickson in the role of Mrs. Johnstone and Andrew Schofield as the Narrator. The production transferred to London in the Spring, opening at the Lyric Theatre on 11th April. Although it was well received by the critics, the show did not do enough business during its opening six weeks to justify more than a six-month run. By the time it closed, however, Blood Brothers was playing to packed houses and standing ovations. In her autobiography Barbara Dickson described the "bouts of stage fright and subsequent exhaustion" that affected her during both the Liverpool and London runs: "Towards the end of my contract, the producer, Bob Swash, and my manager, Bernard Theobald, asked me out for lunch... When they asked me if I would consider agreeing to an extension of the contract, I bowed my head and began to weep quietly right there at the table... I don't remember now if I even formally said no, but they had their answer." (A Shirt Box Full Of Songs, page 183) In 1987 Blood Brothers was revived by producer Bill Kenwright, who took his new production on a national tour of the UK. The production arrived in London the following year, opening at the Albery Theatre on 28th July after two weeks of packed-out previews. Kiki Dee starred as Mrs. Johnstone, with Con O'Neill as the Narrator. In 1991 Blood Brothers moved to the larger Phoenix Theatre, where it has continued until 2012. In 1993 Bill Kenwright took the show to Broadway. Blood Brothers previewed at the Music Box Theatre in New York on 14th April. The show opened on 25th April and closed after 839 performances on 30th April 1995. As Bill Kenwright later described it, Blood Brothers became "the miracle of Broadway - the only musical in American theatre history to beat the New York Times" (Phoenix Theatre, 10th November 2012). The cast of the New York production originally featured Stephanie Lawrence as Mrs. Johnstone and Warwick Evans as the Narrator. When Lawrence returned to the London production the role of Mrs. Johnstone was passed to Petula Clark, with David Cassidy and his brother Shaun playing the twins. Lyn Paul joined the cast of Blood Brothers in 1997, after writing a letter to Bill Kenwright.
Lyn made her West End début with a three-week run at the Phoenix Theatre, followed by five months on the road with the UK touring production. At the end of the tour Lyn returned to the West End. On 28th July 1998 she led the cast as the show celebrated it's 10th anniversary and on 10th November 2012 she was centre stage once again in the show's final West End performance. |
| Links to other websites |
Albemarle of London
Internet Broadway Database (IBDB): Blood Brothers
Bill Kenwright Ltd.
LondonNet: Blood Brothers
What's On Stage
Willy Russell.com
|
 |
Blood Brothers
International Recording
featuring
Petula Clark
as Mrs. Johnstone.
 |
Blood Brothers
1988 London Revival
Cast Recording
featuring
Kiki Dee
as Mrs. Johnstone.
 |
Blood Brothers
Original
London Cast
Recording
featuring
Barbara Dickson
as Mrs. Johnstone.
 |
Blood Brothers
1995 London
Cast Recording
featuring
Stephanie Lawrence
as Mrs. Johnstone.
| Also Starring... |
|
Petula ClarkInterviewed on Radio 1's My Top 12 in 1974, Lyn Paul described Petula Clark as: "my very biggest idol apart from Liza Minnelli." In a New Seekers souvenir brochure published in 1973 Lyn is quoted as saying: "I met Pet Clark on the 'Bobby Darin Show' in America. I've been a fan of hers since I was 11. She asked me to go along to a recording session. I've never heard anybody handle a song as she did. She took a perfectly ordinary straight song and turned it into her style."
Kiki DeeKiki Dee played Mrs. Johnstone in Bill Kenwright's revival of Blood Brothers at the Albery Theatre on 28th July 1988. She handed the role on to Angela Richards, who in turn passed it on to Stephanie Lawrence. Barbara DicksonThe original Mrs. Johnstone. Having first played the role at the Liverpool Playhouse, Barbara Dickson made her West End début at the Lyric Theatre, London, on 11th April 1983. Her performance won her a SWET Award for 'Best Actress in a Musical'.
Carole KingCarole King made her Broadway début in Blood Brothers in 1994. She also played the part of Mrs. Johnstone in the West End production. Stephanie LawrenceStephanie Lawrence (16th December 1949 - 4th November 2000) first played the part of Mrs. Johnstone in the West End production of Blood Brothers. In 1993 she went to New York with the show for its Broadway launch. Having received a Tony nomination for her Broadway performances, she returned to the West End production and is featured on the 1995 London Cast Recording, The NolansThe Nolan sisters Bernie, Denise, Linda and Maureen have all played the role of Mrs. Johnstone. Helen ReddyHelen Reddy has appeared in Blood Brothers on Broadway and in the West End of London, where in 1995 she took over the role of Mrs. Johnstone from Carole King. She has also performed in four productions of Willy Russell's one-woman play Shirley Valentine. Clodagh RodgersLike Lyn Paul, Clodagh Rodgers once represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest (she came 4th in 1971 with Jack In The Box). Like Lyn, she has also appeared in Blood Brothers on the UK tour and in the West End. |
| Among the many male stars who have appeared in Blood Brothers are '60s star Carl Wayne and the teen heartthrobs of the '70s David Cassidy and David Soul. In 2006 Antony Costa from the boyband Blue became the show's latest "big name" recruit. |
David CassidyDuring 1993-94, for nine-and-a-half months, David Cassidy and his half-brother Shaun Cassidy played the Johnstone twins in the Broadway production of Blood Brothers. David Cassidy was cast as Mickey. "I'd been waiting to get a part this good for a long time" he told the Los Angeles Times. "You know when you're inherently right for a character" (Los Angeles Times, 3rd September 1993). David suggested Shaun for the role of Eddie. Shaun accepted: "I saw the dynamics of what David and I, two real brothers with a relationship and history of our own, would carry across to the audience" (Los Angeles Times, 3rd September 1993). Antony CostaAntony Costa joined the West End production of Blood Brothers on 10th April 2006. Costa, who had who started out as an actor, burst onto the UK music scene in May 2001 as a member of the boyband Blue. Following the success of their début single All Rise, Blue had number 1 hits in the UK with Too Close and If You Come Back. The band went on to achieve singles sales of over 4 million and album sales of over 7 million, including collaborations with Sir Elton John and Stevie Wonder. Russell CroweRussell Crowe played the role of Mickie in the Australian production of Blood Brothers at the Seymour Centre in Sydney in 1988-89. He was fired from the show after headbutting and breaking the nose of his co-star Peter Cousens. Since then Crowe has become a big box office draw with films such as LA Confidential (1997), Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001). Con O'NeillCon O'Neill won the 1988 Laurence Olivier Award for 'Best Actor in a Musical' for his portrayal of Mickey in the West End production of Blood Brothers. He was nominated for a Tony award for the same role in the Broadway transfer. Marti PellowIn 2011 Wet Wet Wet's lead singer Marti Pellow joined the UK touring production of Blood Brothers, playing the role of the Narrator. He went on to play the role in the West End (1st November 2011 – 28th April 2012) before returing to the touring production. Andrew ScofieldAndrew Scofield played the Narrator in the orginial production of Blood Brothers in 1983. David SoulDavid Soul played the part of the Narrator in the Australian production of Blood Brothers and in 1995 joined the West End cast in London. The critics were less than kind. In a review titled Tell Me It's Not True, David Benedict wrote in the Independent: "David Soul should be booked for his part in Blood Brothers... Throwing the focus away from the central trio does the show no favours. The rhyming couplets of the doom-laden plot narration are the least interesting component of the piece and anyone in their right mind would do everything to shift the audience's attention away from its portentousness... All together: Don't Give Up on the Day Job..." (Independent, 1st February 1995, Arts, page 5) Carl WayneCarl Wayne (former lead singer with the Move) played the Narrator in the West End production of Blood Brothers. |
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991112
Last amended:
260513
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