Blood Brothers (musical) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blood Brothers
20th Anniversary London Poster
Music	Willy Russell
Lyrics	Willy Russell
Book	Willy Russell
Productions	1983 West End 1993 Broadway Several UK tours 1994 US tour 2015 Sydney International productions 2019 UK Tour 2022-24 UK Tour
Awards	Olivier Award for Best New Musical

Blood Brothers is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Willy Russell. The story is a contemporary nature versus nurture plot, revolving around fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth, one subsequently being raised in a wealthy family, the other in a poor family. The different environments take the twins to opposite ends of the social spectrum, one becoming a councillor, and the other unemployed and in prison. They both fall in love with the same girl, causing a rift in their friendship and leading to the tragic death of both brothers. Russell says that his work was based on a one-act play that he read as a child "about two babies switched at birth ... it became the seed for Blood Brothers."

Originally developed as a school play, Blood Brothers debuted in Liverpool before Russell transferred it to the West End for a short run in 1983. The musical won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and went on to a year-long national tour before returning for a revival in the West End in 1988 where it stayed at the Albery Theatre for 3 years, transferring to the Phoenix Theatre in 1991. The revival ran for more than 24 years in the West End, and played more than 10,000 performances, becoming the third longest-running musical production in West End history. It finally closed in November 2012. The musical has been produced with success on tour, on Broadway and elsewhere, and it has developed a cult following.

Notable casts and characters

Casts

Notable Replacements

Sean Jones has played 'Mickey Johnstone' numerous times on both the UK tours and in London's West End. As of August 2023 he is still playing the role on the current UK tour.

Singer Nikki Evans is currently playing Mrs. Johnstone in the 2023 UK tour.

In the West End production, Spice Girl Melanie C played Mrs. Johnstone.

Characters

• The Narrator, who throughout the play breaks the fourth wall to help the story progress and act as a moral compass. He also plays other characters at various points, including: Policeman, Milkman, Judge, Finance Man, Catalogue Man and Bus Conductor.
• Mrs Johnstone, the Lyons' cleaner who single-handedly supports her seven (later eight) children.
• Mrs Jennifer Lyons, the employer of Mrs Johnstone. Mrs Lyons convinces Mrs Johnstone to give her one of her twin sons to raise as her own.
• Edward 'Eddie' Lyons, Mickey's twin brother who was given away by Mrs Johnstone, and brought up by Mrs Lyons; he becomes blood brothers with Mickey (his actual brother).
• Michael 'Mickey' Johnstone, the youngest Johnstone child who is kept by his mother; he becomes blood brothers with Eddie (his actual brother).
• Sammy Johnstone, the elder brother of Mickey, who commits many crimes
• Linda, a childhood friend of Mickey and Eddie and later Mickey's wife.
• Mr Richard Lyons, Mrs Lyons's husband, who is unaware of Edward's true parentage.
• Miss Jones, Mr Lyons's secretary, who, after initially firing all of the workers, is fired from the firm herself as a result of the 1970s recession.
• Donna Marie Johnstone, one of the elder Johnstone children, who was looking after Sammy when they were little and he fell out of a window; by Act II, she is married with three children.
• Darren Wayne Johnstone, the eldest Johnstone child.

Musical numbers

Recordings

• 1983 Original London Cast Recording
• 1988 London Cast Recording
• 1995 Australian Cast Recording
• 1995 London Cast Recording
• 1995 International Cast Recording

Awards and nominations

Original London production

1988 London revival

Original Broadway production