Photo Jack Merriman

****

–

A production which seems omnipresent on the regional theatre circuit and one I have seen many times

–

Willy Russell’s tale has endured for a reason. Superficially it is the tale of twin brothers separated at birth but  raised in vastly different worlds within post-war Liverpool. One grows up in poverty and hardship, the other in comfort and privilege, with their lives repeatedly crossing as they grow older. A girl predictably coming between them. However underneath, the undercurrents of class, fate and family swirl and twist before colliding for a cataclysmic conclusion.

–

Blood Brothers has been performed for forty five years now. Over that time the familiarity of the audience with the narrative has given it greater weight. The inevitability of the denouement is inescapable in the finest tradition of Greek Tragedy from which the tradition of a narrator/chorus is borrowed.

–

Vivienne Carlyle excels as the pivotal  Mrs Johnstone,  combining beautiful vocals delivered with a nuanced dramatic performance alongside  Kristofer Harding as the Narrator who is authoritative, brooding and menacing.

–

The ensemble assume multiple roles with Alex Harland and Graeme Kinniburgh working particularly hard. Nick Richings does a superb job with the lighting. Great lighting does everything from atmosphere – the suggestion of interior or exterior mood and time of day – to animation and heating up  scenes with energy. Richings achieves all of these things, offering  seamless punctuation: controlling tension and flow.

–

Fortunately, the Garrick is a modern, acoustically refined space, perfect for hearing Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the curtain closing  Tell Me It’s Not True. Musical Supervisor  Matt Malone, and sound man Dan Samson deliver crispness and volume in perfect measure.

Blood Brothers continues until sat 23rd May then continues on nationwide tour. The so called “Standing Ovation Musical” lived up to its aim at the end from an enthusiastic Lichfield audience.

Gary Longden