4th Oct 2012
In just a few weeks the striking backdrop of the Liverpool
skyline will come down from the beautiful Phoenix Theatre as this production of
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers
departs from the West End; and a sad day that will be, as this cast have put on
a superb production of the tear-jerking “story of the Johnstone twins”. The show is of course intrinsically linked with a particular
place and time – Liverpool, and the toughest days of the 1980s – but this
production truly shows it off as a modern classic, by maintaining this heritage
yet avoiding any sense of being dated. There is still freshness here and, to
invoke a horribly over-analysed concept, relevancy; and no need to take my word
for it – just listen to the raucous, enraptured reaction of the hordes of
schoolchildren at this midweek matinée. Much of the appeal lies in the blend of
bitter realism and stylised superstition which is kept in perfect harmony:
although “harmonious” seems an inappropriate word to choose for a drama that pulls
you in so many directions. It is harsh but warm; heart-wrenching but funny; bleak
but uplifting; at the end of the first act the girls around me were bopping in
their seats to the tune of Bright New Day,
yet by the end of the second the tears were steaming down their cheeks. The
production delivers in every area.
Blood Brothers is
nothing without its perfect Mrs Johnstone, and this run gives Vivienne Carlyle
her turn to join the lengthy list of stars who have taken on the role, from
Petula Clark to Mel C. Carlyle gives a strong and soulful vocal performance as
her rich tones bring deep emotion to the lyrics, and her ‘Mrs J’ is likeable and
pitiable in equal measures. At times there are some odd vowel sounds, when the mostly-perfect
Scouse accent doesn't quite gel with Carlyle’s singing style as she negotiates
the break in the voice: yet this is really a minor niggle. The trio of Mark
Rice-Oxley (Mickey), Paul Christopher (Eddie) and Louise Clayton (Linda) work together
with confidence and ease, mastering the range of child to adult which these
characters demand. Rice-Oxley in particular steals the show, bringing the
audience from hysterical laughter as the cheeky, scruffy schoolboy and awkward
teenager, to gut-wrenching sympathy and edge-of-the-seat desperation as the
older, embittered Mickey. Michael Southern is solid in his supporting role of
Sammy, but somewhat less successful at the tricky task of, as an adult actor,
playing a child; however, the problem lies in aesthetics more than anything as
Southern simply looks a little too old to pull off the portrayal of a young boy
in quite the same way as other cast members.
The direction of Bob Thomson and Bill Kenwright emphasises
the underlying themes of desperation and paranoia which pervade the tale of Mrs
Johnstone, through the Narrator’s constant yet seemingly invisible presence in
the action, as the figure of Philip Stewart lingers at the edge of the set or
at an upper window. His powerful voice and at times menacing performance
reminds the audience constantly that this is a tale heading for tragedy.
Designer Marty Flood highlights this mood without it becoming overblown and
without breaking the sense of truth in this piece. As the burning red light of Madman cuts into the realism of the Town
Hall chamber, the show lurches from stylised rage to something far more ‘real’:
the audience know with a jolt that the inevitably tragic ending is really about
to happen.
This production builds and builds as it continues, and the
electricity at the explosive climax is palpable. As the last verse of Tell Me It’s Not True crescendos and the
band and voices swell together, so do the audience’s emotions, and many a
tear-stained face emerged from the Phoenix Theatre. Willy Russell has said that
the show “relies on that primal, ageless universal thing of “I'm going to tell
you a story”” and it is this strong storytelling, with its pure truth and
emotion, that keeps audiences coming back for more.
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