Blood Brothers (musical)
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| Blood brothers | |
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| 20th Anniversary London Poster | |
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| Music | Willy Russell |
| Lyrics | Willy Russell |
| Book | Willy Russell |
| Productions | 1983 West End 1988 West End revival 1991 Broadway |
| Awards | Olivier Award for Best New Musical (1983) |
Blood Brothers is a musical with book, lyrics and music by Willy Russell. It is one of the longest-running works of musical theatre in history, with the 1988 West End production still running after 20 years. The play is a contemporary nature vs. nurture tale revolving around fraternal twins separated at birth. The twins' different backgrounds take them to the opposite ends of the social spectrum, one becoming an Oxbridge graduated councilor and the other ending up on the dole and in prison for a while. Both fall in love with the same girl; this girl is married to one of them and the other is stealing her, and ultimately this conflict leads to their tragic death. This also shows how a difference in class can make a big difference, how two babies brought into the world by the same parents can lead two very different lives and be two very different people; "And do we blame Superstition for what's come to pass, or is what we the British have come to know as class?"
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[edit] Background and productions
The original production by Willy Russell was written as a school play and presented in 1981. Russell then developed the work into a full blown play, which opened, in the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983, starring Barbara Dickson. It was only a modest success. The show transferred to London where it played for only six months or so before closing. Then Bill Kenwright took over the show and following a year long national tour it reopened in the Albery Theatre in London in 1988 before transferring it to the Phoenix Theatre, where it has been running since. Con O'Neill, who played Mickey, was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award in 1989 (1988 season) for Best Actor in a Play for his performance.
The production has now passed its 21st year and has developed a cult following. The central role of Mrs. Johnstone has been played by, among others, Stephanie Lawrence, Clodagh Rodgers, Kiki Dee, Lyn Paul, Siobhan McCarthy, and four of the Nolan sisters (Linda, Bernie, Denise and Maureen). Ex-Blue member Antony Costa played the role of Mickey during 2006, starring alongside Maureen Nolan as Mrs. Johnstone. Theatre and TV star Steven Houghton joined the London cast as The Narrator in 2007. The London production currently stars Lyn Paul as Mrs Johnstone, Steven Palfreman as Mickey and Richard Reynard as Eddie. The narrator is currently played by Craig Price in the West End production. A second UK production is currently on tour. Linda's sister Denise was asked to reprise the role for the Scottish dates of the tour, but pulled out, fearing that she wouldn't have enough rehearsal time.
- Broadway and U.S. tour
The Broadway production opened on April 25, 1993 at the Music Box Theatre. The show closed on April 30, 1995 after 840 performances. Several of the British actors made their Broadway debuts, including Stephanie Lawrence as Mrs. Johnstone, Con O'Neill as Mickey, Mark Michael Hutchinson as Eddie and Warwick Evans as the narrator. Kerry Butler made her Broadway debut in the ensemble. Real-life brothers David Cassidy and Shaun Cassidy later played the brothers, and Petula Clark, in her Broadway debut, joined the cast as Mrs. Johnstone in 1993–94 and in the U.S. national tour from in 1994–95.[1] The Cassidys and Clark also participated in the international cast album. Following Clark's portrayal, Mrs. Johnstone becoming a calling card for other 1960s pop singers, with Carole King and Helen Reddy later playing the role on Broadway.
[edit] Plot
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- Act 1
On a black, empty street in Liverpool, two figures lie down on red stretchers, surrounded by police with their grieving mother beside them, they are then carried off. Mrs. Johnstone sings, "Tell me it's not true, say it's just a story." The narrator introduces the play: "...lets see how she came to play this part." Mrs. Johnstone sings “Marilyn Monroe”. A flashback takes the setting back 25 years to the late 1950s or early 1960s, and the story begins. Mrs. Johnstone sings of her life beforehand. We learn she was once married but is now a single parent with lots of children. She is pregnant at present but feels she can just about cope with one more child.
In the next scene, we see Mrs Johnstone at her workplace. She is a cleaner for an upper class couple, Mr and Mrs Lyons. In a conversation we learn of Mrs Johnstone’s superstition as she tells Mrs Lyons not to put new shoes on the table (this is important as some of the songs are linked to this idea of shoes upon the table, superstition being one of the key themes in this play). We are also informed that Mrs Lyons is desperate for a baby but is unable to have one, and her husband, who is away working at the moment, does not want to adopt. Mrs Johnstone then finds out she is going to have twins and the next day at her work she is very upset. When questioned by Mrs Lyons she explains that she can't cope financially with two babies and the ‘welfare’ have been onto her about the ones she's already got. Mrs Lyons then suggests that Mrs Johnstone gives one of the babies to her and the song “My Child” begins. Mrs Johnstone agrees and is made to swear on the bible to keep to the deal. Mrs Johnstone has the twins, but then regrets having agreed to give one away through the song “Easy Terms”. During this song Mrs Lyons appears to collect her baby.
Mrs Johnstone continues to work for Mrs Lyons, however, with Mrs Johnstone's constant attention of her baby, eventually Mrs Lyons feels that Mrs Johnstone is a threat, and she no longer wants her around. When Mrs Lyons fires her Mrs Johnstone decides she will take the baby with her despite having sworn on the bible. In order to stop her Mrs Lyons plays on Mrs Johnstone's superstitions by telling her that “if twins separated at birth learn that they were once one of a pair they will both immediately die”. The song “Shoes Upon the Table”, sung by the narrator, begins. Mrs Johnstone feels she can't take the baby as she doesn’t want to be a murderer and leaves.
The story then moves on seven years and we meet Mickey, the son Mrs Johnstone kept. Through chance he meets Eddie, the other twin, and after learning they share the same birthday decide to become blood brothers.They make a pact. Mrs Johnstone finds them and sends Eddie away, telling him not to come round again or else the "Boogey-man" will get him. Later in the day Mickey goes to Eddie's house and Mrs Lyons throws him out. She and Eddie argue on the subject, Eddie swears at her with a word Mickey taught him and Mrs Lyons slaps him,it is a gut reaction. immediately regretting it. The song “Kids Game” follows. Mickey is playing with some neighbourhood children including his friend Linda. Afterwards he takes her to see Eddie and the three of them sneak off to play. The Narrator sings a reprise of “Shoes Upon the Table” as Mrs Lyons tries to find Eddie. Mrs Lyons becomes so worried about the fact that he is mixing with Mickey, as she has started to believe the superstition she herself made up earlier in the play, that she decides to move house and persuades her husband by pretending to be ill. When Eddie says goodbye Mrs Johnstone gives him a locket with a picture of herself and Mickey. Mickey and Eddie then sing the song “Long Sunday Afternoon/My Friend” which segues into “Oh Bright New Day”. The reason it is a bright new day is that Mrs Johnstone and her family are being re-housed in the countryside and during this song they move into their new house. After this the curtain closes on Act 1.
- Act II
Eddie and Mickey are now 14 years old. Mrs Johnstone and her family's lives are much improved since moving and they haven’t seen Eddie at all. Mickey has a crush on Linda who is being very obvious in her advances, but Mickey doesn't know how to act with her. Both of them are suspended after mouthing off to their teacher. We then see Eddie’s boarding school and a scene in which he too is suspended, for refusing to give up Mrs Johnstone's locket to a teacher. When he reaches home his mother asks him about it and he won't tell her. The Narrator then sings a reprise of “Shoes Upon the Table” as Mrs Lyons sees Mrs Johnstone near her house, worrying about the made-up superstition. Later by chance Eddie and Mickey bump into each other in a field, but don’t realize who they are. They sing “That Guy” which shows how much they want to be like each other.
After the song they realize who the other is and meet up with Linda. The song “Summer Sequence” moves the action to when they are 18 years old. Eddie then sings “I’m not saying a word” which shows that he has feelings for Linda but won’t say anything as he knows Mickey likes her too. After this Eddie leaves for university but not before encouraging Mickey to ask Linda out. During Eddie’s absence a lot happens to Mickey. He discovers Linda is pregnant and they decide to get married; however before this happens he is fired from his job in a factory, which not only forces him onto the dole, but it sends him into depression. Eddie returns at Christmas ready to party and have fun, but Mickey realises that they are now very different and after a small fight with Eddie they part. In order to get money he assists his brother Sammy in a robbery, becomes an accessory to murder, is caught and sentenced to 7 years in prison as Mrs Johnstone sings "Marilyn Monroe (Part 3)".
In prison he becomes chronically depressed and dependent on anti-depressant drugs. When released early for good behaviour, he is still dependent on the drugs, and his relationship with Linda is not going very well. She tries her best to help him but fails. She contacts Eddie, who is now a councillor. Mrs Johnstone sings “Light Romance” as Eddie and Linda have a romantic fling in a park. Mrs Lyons (Eddies "mother") sees them together and tells Mickey. “Light Romance” segues into “Madman” sung by the Narrator. In this song Mickey, distraught over Eddie and Linda's affair, goes ‘mad’ and grabs a gun before storming down to the council offices to confront Eddie.
The final scene is set in the council offices. Eddie is giving a speech when Mickey storms in with the gun. Mickey ponders out loud why, even though they were friends, Eddie has everything and Mickey has nothing, and that the one good thing Mickey had (Linda), Eddie now has the audacity to try and take away. Eddie denies this, trying to calm Mickey down, and the police enter. They tell Mickey that they are armed and to put the gun down. Mrs Johnstone runs onto the stage and, in an attempt to stop Mickey shooting Eddie, tells the two brothers the truth. Mickey despairs that he wasn't the one given away, because then he could have been like, or even with, Eddie. He waves the gun in Eddie's direction in his anger and suddenly but accidentally sets it off, which shoots and instantly kills Eddie. The police shoot Mickey at almost the exact same moment, even though Mickey attempts to shout that it was an accident. (But in the script book, available in book stores, there is an alternative ending, in which Mrs Lyons bursts in and shoots both brothers.). This means Mrs Lyons's superstitious idea has come true, although the Narrator comments that class was more to blame than superstition. The final song is “Tell Me It’s Not True”, during which the entire cast come on stage and sing a very emotional final chorus. The curtain then falls.
[edit] Musical numbers
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The best known song from the score is the finale "Tell Me It's Not True," which has become a staple in the concert repertoires of Dickson, Clark, and Reddy.
[edit] Underscoring
Throughout the musical, Russell uses underscoring adding to the drama of characters like the narrator. In total the musical includes 37 pieces of music, both songs and underscoring.
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[edit] Awards and nominations
- Olivier Award for Best New Musical (1983) (winner)
- Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (1988) – Con O'Neill (winner)
- Tony Award Best Musical (nominee)
- Tony Award Best Book of a Musical] – Willy Russell (nominee)
- Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical – Con O'Neill (nominee)
- Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical – Stephanie Lawrence (nominee)
- Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Jan Graveson (nominee)
- Tony Award Best Direction of a Musical – Bill Kenwright, Bob Tomson (nominees)
- 1993 Theatre World Award – Stephanie Lawrence (winner)
- Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical – Con O'Neill (nominee)
- Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical – Mark Michael Hutchinson (winner)
[edit] Current Cast
- Mrs Johnstone - Lyn Paul
- Narrator - Craig Price
- Eddie - Richard Reynard
- Mickey - Stephen Palfreman
- Mrs Lyons - Louise Davidson
- Linda - Louise Clayton
- Sammy - Michael Southern
- Mr Lyons - Stephen Pallister
- Policeman/Teacher - Rob Hughes
- Donna Marie/Miss Jones - Amy O'Neil
- Perkins - Alastair Brookshaw
- Neighbour - Karl Greenwood
- Brenda - Anna Sambrook
- Bus Conductor - Alex Harland
[edit] References
- ^ Blood Brothers and Petula Clark
- ^ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 1-36.
- ^ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 37-70.
- ^ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 1-36.
- ^ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 37-70.
[edit] External links
- kenwright.com Official website
- Willy Russell Fan Page, Includes Blood Brothers Information
- Internet Broadway Database listing
- MSN group for fans/stars/crew of the show
- Interview with Lyn Paul who plays Mrs Johnstone
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