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Blood Brothers
Wolverhampton Grand
**** AN elite clutch of theatrical productions
have a momentum of their own, selling out houses- because they do. Blood
Brothers is o The audience was encouragingly mixed with a
strong younger element evidence that its appeal transcends the tribal
cognoscenti of its era, and its themes attract across the generations. The big names are Marti Pellow as the narrator,
and Maureen Nolan as Mrs Johnstone. The Nolan sisters have secured a
virtual sisterly hegemony on the role, with Maureen the fourth sister to
have worn Mrs Johnstone’s pinafore.
She plays her with warmth, energy, humour and
pathos. Narrator Pellow watches from the shadows, as sinister as a
Crocky chancer, but without the consistency of accent. The role is fairly one
dimensional with occasional undemanding harmony parts, he will be able
to undertake his new year’s Wet Wet Wet
gigs with no fear of exhaustion. His speaking parts are delivered as
rhyming couplets in the tradition of the Chorus in Greek tragedy. And so
it unfolds: “So did y' hear the story Of the Johnstone twins? As like each other as two new pins Of one womb born, on the self -same day, How
one was kept and one given away?” The single street set is impressive and evocative
of its era. Was the Everton slogan on the wall spray painted by Toffees
chairman and show director Bill Kenwright himself? If not, at the very
least, he will have allowed himself a smile. Although Nolan and Pellow acquit themselves with
credit, it is the supporting cast who shine. Sean Jones and Joel
Benedict play the twins as children and young adults, a formidable task
with huge, well-realised, comic possibilities. Danielle Corlass is
delightfully leggy as the twins’ love interest and Paula Tappenden
delivers an unhinged Mrs Lyons, the illegal adopting mother with
compelling conviction. The first act’s appeal is its faithful recreation
of happy family life, soon to be destroyed: “And who'd dare tell the lambs in Spring What
fate the later seasons bring?” The second act, which after an opening that on
the night fizzled and crackled, rather than burned, shifts gears rapidly
for its destructive climax.
Although a musical, it is the story and
characterisation which are the stars. There is only one memorable song,
Light Romance, sensitively sung by Maureen Nolan, the rest is
incidental, Tell Me It’s Not True, the best known song, is little more
than a repeated refrain. But the themes of brotherhood, adolescence,
motherhood, and hard times are memorably created and exploited by author
Willy Russell. Although proudly set in Liverpool, the bleak urban
landscape will have been familiar to the Wolverhampton audience. At the end, the narrator laments: “Did you ever hear the story of the Johnstone
twins? As like each other as two new pins How one was kept and one given away How they were born, and they died, On the self- same day” A tragedy laid bare at the opening scene, which
the rest of the play then leads up to. Yet on the way, the good humour,
laughs and humanity of the story ensure that this is a tale of
upliftment, rather than despair. Blood Brothers runs till Saturday 31st
October. Gary Longden
26-10-15 And from the other side of the tracks . . . **** IT’S back in the Black County yet again -
the standing ovation musical so popular there will be near capacity
audiences every night. No matter how many times people see Willy
Russell’s brilliant story they still come back for more to enjoy the
humour and, of course, experience the drama of the tragic shoot-out
finale. Changes in the cast are rare, and even the
wonderful role of Mrs Johnstone has become something of a family affair,
with Maureen Nolan the fourth of the famous Nolan Sisters to play the
part. She is excellent as the hard-pressed Liverpool
mother of seven trying to cope after her husband walks out for another
woman he thinks looks a bit like Marilyn Monroe. Mrs Johnstone agrees to give up one of her new
born twin boys to her wealthy employer, Mrs Lyons (Paula Tappenden), who
can’t have children of her own, but the lads accidently meet up when
they are seven, become ‘blood brothers’, eventually fall in love with
the same girl, and tragedy is on the horizon. On opening night
Maureen couldn’t hold back a fit of the giggles in the courtroom scene
where a randy bewigged Judge fancies her and is unable to hide his
excitement behind a white sheet, and later the audience are fighting
back tears as she sings the emotional
Tell Me It’s Not True. West End and Broadway star Marti Pellow is a
suitably menacing Narrator, stalking the stage, but I sometimes found it
difficult to catch everything he was saying or singing in a heavy Scouse
accent. Sean Jones gives an extraordinary performance as
Mickey, the twin who stays with his mum in the tough end of town. His
ability to play the scruffy kid and later the depressed, redundant,
pill-popping young man is outstanding, and Joel Benedict is convincing
in the role of his brother, Eddie, brought up in the posh district and
heading for a privileged life style. Graham Martin is a hoot as the neighbourhood
copper and his instant transformation from a cultured lecturer in a
private school to a bullying secondary school teacher is a piece of
theatre magic. Other outstanding members of a fine cast are
Danielle Corlass, the girlfriend, Linda, and Daniel Taylor, Mrs
Johnstone’s loutish son, Sammy. Directed by Bill Kenwright and Bob Tomson, with
Kelvin Towse’s musical direction, Blood Brothers runs to 31.10.15 Paul Marston
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ne such production
filling the Grand on a late autumnal Monday night.