Blood Brothers is heading for St Helens Theatre Royal

It is surely one of the UK’s and certainly our city’s best loved musicals, and if you have never seen it then now is the time!

Following multiple sell out shows both nation and world-wide, ‘One of the best musicals ever written’ (Sunday Times), Blood Brothers written by award-wining playwright Willy Russell, is coming back to St Helens Theatre Royal this September as part of the show’s Autumn 2018 tour.

We went backstage at the show during its last run in Liverpool to meet the cast and find out what life is like behind the scenes of Blood Brothers.

Bill Kenwright’s ‘Dazzling’ (Sunday Telegraph) production of this smash hit musical returns to St Helens from Tue 11 – Sat 15 September after its sell-out visit in 2014.

Casting for the Autumn 2018 tour will be announced in the coming months.

This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981 before opening at the Liverpool Playhouse 35 years ago in 1983, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Blood Brothers also ran in London’s West End for 24 years, exceeding 10,000 performances, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.

Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be reunited, by a twist of fate and a mother’s haunting secret. The memorable score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

When Mrs Johnstone, a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children she takes a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet.

It is not long before her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again – this time with twins! In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer which leads inexorably to the show’s shattering climax.

Incredible show stopping music, remarkable staging and five-star performances make Blood Brothers an enthralling night of entertainment.

Daniel Taylor starring in Blood Brothers

Willy Russell is undeniably one of this country’s leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine. Educating Rita, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two-year run in the West End and was made into a movie starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Shirley Valentine also made the move from stage to screen in an enormously popular film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.

Chantelle Nolan, Theatre Manager said: “Blood Brothers has been voted ‘the most popular British musical of all time’ by New York Times readers, and to have this incredible show back on our stage again is very exciting. The show is based in Liverpool, so to have it so close to home makes it even more poignant for audiences. Make sure you don’t miss out and get tickets early.”

For more information and to book your tickets head to www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com