BLOOD BROTHERS is a superb show - an extremely funny book which is also really touching and understreamed with powerful socio-political commentary. And there are some excellent songs: the finale, "Tell Me It's Not True" is quite stunning. The quality of the writing is not surprising as its author, Willy Russell, is the award winning playwright of EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE. What is perhaps surpising is that the songs are so good - Russell is not known as a composer!
Its first incarnation in London in 1983, starring Barbra Dickson, was quite short lived but it was revived in a National Tour in 1988, starring Kiki Dee, transferred to the West End and has been running there ever since, making it one of London's longest running musicals. (And there have been several national tours in the UK in recent years.)
It opened on Broadway in 1993 with Petula Clark, David Cassidy & Shaun Cassidy in the leads, but was not as successful - possibly it is too "English" for an American audience, and the accents in particular may have been off-putting. But the quality of the material deserved greater success on the Great White Way.
There have been 3 major recordings of the show: the original cast with Barbra Dickson, the Kiki Dee West End cast and an "International" studio recording with Petula Clark, David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy and Willy Russell himself as the Narrator.
Good luck with your college production, btw!
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
Updated On: 12/20/03 at 04:49 AM
