Iconic British Musical Blood Brothers brings a Tale of Twins and tragedy to Milton Keynes Theatre
- Shahnaz Hussain
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Review by Shahnaz (Shiny) Hussain
At its heart, Blood Brothers is the story of two boys who share everything except circumstance. Torn apart at birth, one grows up in hardship while the other is sheltered by privilege. Their paths cross by chance, weaving friendship, humour, and innocence into a tale that gradually darkens. When truth and fate finally collide, the result is both shocking and unforgettable.
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Vivienne Carlyle (Mrs. Johnstone) led the cast with a performance both powerful and heartbreaking, capturing a mother’s love, vulnerability, and anguish with raw authenticity. Sean Jones (Mickey) embodied his role fully alongside Danny Knott (Eddie), where their chemistry charted the innocence of childhood to the tragedy of their divided fates. Gemma Brodrick brought warmth and wit to Linda, while Kristofer Harding’s Narrator added intensity, though at times the role felt superfluous and misplaced to me.
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From the very first scene, the production establishes a sense of foreboding that lingers throughout. The set is striking: rows of workers’ houses, derelict buildings, graffiti-stained walls, and shadowy alleyways, all enhanced by subdued lighting and an ominous score. Together, they create a gritty, oppressive atmosphere that feels utterly authentic. At times, the music soared with moments of smoky jazz saxophone and piano that were particularly sublime. A few songs came across beautifully, though in the bigger chorus numbers, some of the lyrics were unfortunately lost beneath the volume.
The cast gave their all, delivering an admirable performance with inventive physical theatre moments and standout sequences which included the fairground waltzers, the rollercoaster, and even a cleverly staged bus ride. However, the choice to have adult actors play children quickly wore thin. While it was easy to accept at first, stretching the concept across the entire first act made it feel increasingly forced and, at times, a little absurd.   Â
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I had never seen Blood Brothers before, and with Willy Russell’s reputation—Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine—I came in with high expectations. The play tackles serious themes: social class, fate, superstition, and the ways our circumstances shape opportunity. Yet this production often flattened those ideas into broad, simplistic gestures. Subtlety was rare, and moments that might have been poignant or clever occasionally veered into farce. It wasn’t until I learned the play began as a 1981 Liverpool school production that the simplicity made sense, but even so, it felt far from Russell’s finest work. I spoke to several audience members, and they, too, shared my sentiments; however, the production was largely met with warmth and appreciation.
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