It has been quite a long time since I last saw Blood Brothers and I forgot that the audience would be jam packed with school outings and groups - having said that, apart from some good natured wolf whistles during the kisses the only thing I noticed was how enthusiastic they all were. It's wonderful to have a show on tour like this, introducing so many young people to live theatre mind you I'm not sure how well the local phone network held up to the mass check-in at the interval ;-)
I confess, I love this show. Not sure why as the inevitability of the end and the sheer effort of living of the Johnstone family weighs heavily right from the opening - somehow it just seems to lift me to see it. Lyn Paul was superb as Mrs Johnstone and her final song was truly moving. I also greatly enjoyed both the brothers (Sean Jones and Paul Davies) and Kelly-Anne Gower's beautifully observed Linda.
A brilliant night out, do go and see it even if, like me, you have seen it before ....
A small postscript - the first few bows at the end were done "in character", I wondered idly to myself whether this was a conscious choice or simply the effect of playing such a strong ending - after a couple of bows they managed to crack a smile. You know, much as I enjoyed it, and much as I was pleased they got a standing ovation, I felt it was appropriate to not switch immediately from characters to actors at the end - allowed us to come back to reality slowly rather than with the usual 'bump'!
