Blood Brothers

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 9:23pm

A Quintessential English musical, set in Liverpool is still running at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End today, where it has been running for nearly 27 years. Blood Brothers did come over to Broadway Music Box Theatre where it run for a respectable 839 performances.

Just wondering if any of you Americans have seen Blood Brothers, on Broadway or even the West End and interested on your thoughts on this show?

Updated On: 2/6/10 at 09:23 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 9:28pm

I have a funny story regarding my family's trip to the show in London.

My brother was spending a year there studying. My dad's childhood friend was in London for business and took my brother out to dinner and told him that if he had the time that he should go see Blood Brothers due to the fact that he loved the show and it was one of his favorites to see. We went to one of the ticket broker booths and got tickets based upon the suggestion of my father's friend. When the show started my parents turned to one another and realized that what they were seeing looked very familiar. They didn't realize it until they saw it but they had seen the show on Broadway and totally forgot about having done so. The first act of the show jogged their memory about them having seen it years before.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 9:29pm

I adore this show! But I've never seen it

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 10:40pm

It's a great show but very depressing. I am American and saw it back in... 2004 I think?

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 10:56pm

I saw this in London just a few months after it opened (the current production, not the original) - it had played about 120 performances at the time. I remember the sign outside the theatre saying 120 performances - 120 standing ovations and thinking yeah, right. Standing ovations weren't the norm even on Broadway at that time, and the only standing ovation I had ever seen in London was for Julie Andrews' opening night at the Palladium.

Well, yes indeed - a standing ovation. I saw it again about a week later, and the audience response was the same. To be sure, there are many valid criticisms that could be made, but it obviously hits a chord with audiences, and stays with you.

Don't tell anyone, please, but sometimes I get teary-eyed as the first notes of the CD start ......

[once a month]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 11:03pm

I loved the music and played it a million times before finally seeing the original Broadway cast on Broadway. The production itself was extremely dark...MUCH darker than the current Night Music revival. It was very moody, and although I was happy to have seen it, it never made my top 25 list. I believe it was just a British tale that didn't translate as well across the Atlantic as the recent Billy Elliott did.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 2/5/10 at 11:41pm

I saw this in London in...2004 and absolutely was mindblown. It remains one of my all time favorite theatrical experiences. Truly, it's a gorgeous piece.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 2:16am

I love this show even with its dark theme!! I saw it on tour in San Diego in 1995 and knew nothing about it. The reason I went to see it was because it starred someone I love Petula Clark. The blood brothers were David and Shaun Cassidy. What an incredible surprise it was and I immediately bought the recording which I still listen to today. If I were to make a trip to London I would have this at the top of my list to see. For me I liked this British musical much more than I did "Billy Elliot".

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 2:25am

I saw it in London in the fall of 2006 and didn't particularly enjoy it. I thought the story was extremely predictable, and I really wasn't a fan of the music. Granted, it's been three years since I saw it, so I can't recall my specific complaints, but I do recall leaving feeling disappointed and unconnected to the show on the whole.

[AlgonquinProd2]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 9:14am

I think I'm one of the very few who actually preferred it on Broadway to the West End. Loved the show here in New York, then went across the pond and got a ticket there. It might just have been that performance but the actors aeemed as if they were walking through it, no energy in the production at all. I was very disappointed since I expected it to blow the NY production away. At least on that day it didn't. But I am a big fan of the show.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 9:41am

Hated everything about it, if they had just all died in the opening moments I would have been a very happy man.

People who you just couldn't or better still wouldn't care about, awful, awful, awful musical.

[Patash]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 10:00am

I've seen it in London several times. To be blunt, it's a little cheezy or corny and overly sentimental.
But I'm convinced anyone who can sit through the show and not be moved must have no heart.

It's sad that some people "couldn't or better still wouldn't care about" a child given up for adoption, or couldn't care about a mother torn apart because she gave up a child so it could have a chance in life. What kind of characters WOULD such a person care about I wonder? But I guess to each his own.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 10:59am

I saw it on Broadway first and fell in love with the show. A few years later, I took my parents to see it when I was living in London. It's been 11 years since I saw it last and would love to see it again. I think it is a gorgeous show. Sure it's predictable and sentimental and wears its emotions on its sleeve. Just like most musicals. But if you are looking for light entertainment, this is definitely not the show for you.

People who you just couldn't or better still wouldn't care about

I did. Why didn't you?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 3:05pm

"
People who you just couldn't or better still wouldn't care about

I did. Why didn't you? "

'Cuz it's Rosscoe, Mister Matt.

[hotjohn]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 3:14pm

I just saw the London production on Tuesday night (my second time in 22 years - that's how long this production has been running). Starring Mel C of The Spice Girls (the one who can actually sing), the show is still fantastic. It's no surprise it has been running so long.

[JRybka]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 3:47pm

Blood Brothers is probably the only show that I have all cds of the different casts.

The Three London Versions, the International Version and a whole slew of foreign and non English ones. I love love love this show!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 4:37pm

All I've got's the Kiki Dee recording (I'm sure at some point, I'll get a hold of some others) and being on this thread makes me realize just how long it's been since I listened to that recording.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 5:34pm

I loved Mickey and hated Eddie. Not sure if that is a common reaction, and it might have been due more to the actors.

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 2/6/10 at 10:51pm

Saw it in London w/Kiki Dee and Con O'Neal - great theatrical experience.

Saw the National Tour in San Francisco with Petula Clark and all three Cassidy brothers. Lesser theatrical experience, and, oddly, like an hour longer.

I have the Israeli Original Cast Album, which is beautiful.

Really want to direct this one day.

Updated On: 2/6/10 at 10:51 PM

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 2/7/10 at 12:08am

Saw this on my trip a few weeks ago. The only show (out of six) that I truly, truly hated.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 2/7/10 at 2:49am

I saw both the Barbara Dickson original West End production and the Kiki Dee production. The first one hit me harder emotionally because I went in with no expectations. The plot has holes you can drive trucks through and required huge suspensions of disbelief, but it still brought me to tears and to my feet.

Even so, I'm beyond amazed that it's still running.

[alterego]

Posted: 2/7/10 at 7:29am

Though it has been playing in London for 27 years, it frequently plays to near empty houses. The producer, Bill Kenwright must have deep pockets.

[That Girl]

Posted: 2/7/10 at 10:58am

I saw it in London five years ago and I LOVED it. I will see it again the next time I am in London.

Posted: 2/7/10 at 11:11am

I will never forget Stephanie Lawrence's amazing performance. She broke my heart.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 2/7/10 at 2:47pm

"Though it has been playing in London for 27 years, it frequently plays to near empty houses. The producer, Bill Kenwright must have deep pockets."
When I went, the dress circle and upper circle were closed, and the stalls still were not full.