blood brothers tour sean jones

• View Digital Editions
• Newsletter Sign Up
• Regeneration

Paraorchestra to perform an immersive classical concert at the Southbank Centre

Two South London primary schools set to close while four more will be merged

Dulwich Hamlet boss pleased as Porter nets late winner

Southwark is the third-highest area for pickpocketing in the UK

More concerns over the Tower of London as a World Heritage Site

Major congestion whilst Rotherhithe Tunnel is closed with ‘no estimate’ of when it will reopen

Underused Walworth park gets £1 million refresh

Peckham food bank ransacked overnight, leaving struggling families in crisis

Women with endometriosis to get special support from Southwark Council in a national first

• In depth history
• Latest News From The Den
• News at Den +
• Championship League Table
• Championship Form Guide
• Millwall Squad Selector
• Championship Prediction League
• Public Notices
• View digital editions of our print products
• Our newsletters
• Advertise with us

‘I still get incredibly nervous’: Actor Sean Jones on 24 years touring with Blood Brothers

The hit musical is coming to bromley's churchill theatre at the end of february.

Bill Kenwright’s acclaimed production of Willy Russell’s moving musical, Blood Brothers, has hit the road again, and it’s calling in at the Churchill at the end of this month.

A timeless story of international pertinence, it follows Mickey and Eddie, two brothers separated by birth but brought together through an unlikely friendship.

While their life circumstances drag the brothers to opposite ends of the social spectrum, it’s falling in love with the same woman that leads to fatal consequences.

“The thing is, I don’t like singing,” Sean tells me, a little sheepishly. It wouldn’t be too extreme a confession, even for an actor, except for the fact Sean has spent the last 24 years touring on and off with one of the most sentimental musicals ever written.

“I’m not even that much of a fan of musicals,” he laughs. Now I’m stumped. How is that even possible, given what he does for a living?

Lateef Lovejoy, Menopause the Musical and more: What’s on in Greenwich

“Blood Brothers was the first one that really connected with me as a drama student,” he explains. “But I still get incredibly nervous when I have to sing.”

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that Sean’s favourite number in the show is not one of his own. Nor is it the people’s choice, ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’, which has transcended the world of the show and infiltrated pop-culture through performances on talent contests and covers played on the radio.

Related articles

The former Brixton prisoner who invited the judge to watch his play after making it is an actor

The forgotten history of the Rotherhithe Hippodrome that captivated Londoners for fifty years

Review: Rapunzel at Theatre Peckham

Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival has returned, sprinkling magic across our site

Pantomime version of Julian Clary’s best-selling book returns to a Bermondsey theatre

Sean is full of fond memories from his time with Blood Brothers. Having joined the cast in 1999 as a fresh-faced understudy, he was offered the part of Mickey two years later and has played it on and off ever since.

It’s his love of his character, Mickey, as opposed to the musical genre, that keeps him coming back. In his own words: “Every time I’ve gone back, I’ve been reinspired and reinvigorated. I’ve loved the part of Mickey since I was about 20 years old.”

This current ‘spring’ tour, which runs from January until April, is Sean’s farewell tour with the show. He’s already been brought out of ‘retirement’ to play Mickey again once. This time, is he really ready to go? “It’s not like I’m clinging on by my fingernails,” he laughs. “But equally I want to come out on a high, I don’t want to drag it out.”

Still, I point out, audiences will have seen a gradually ageing, or perhaps more mature, portrayal of Mickey over the last 20 years.

“Ageism is the last bit of bigotry which is allowed in our industry,” Sean retorts, fairly. “Who is to say what’s too old? Theatre is all about storytelling. When I run on stage at the beginning, I’m clearly not seven years old. So if I can suspend their belief about being seven I can suspend their disbelief about being 30.”

Vault Festival organisers say they will be left homeless after Waterloo venue tells them to move out

In a lighter tone, he adds: “Don’t get me wrong, if I start to hobble around the stage on a zimmer frame, I’d realise it’s time to go. [For now], I seem to still be getting away with it as I have a bit of a baby face.”

If anything, Sean is confident he brings more to the role of Mickey now than he did when he was younger.

“Acting is an interpretive art form, so you interpret the text and try to bring a lot of your own experiences to it, and at my age, there’s a lot I can draw on in terms of emotions,” he reasons. “The older you get, the more dark places you’ve been to.”

Sean is not the only veteran in the Blood Brothers company. Both Tim Churchill, who plays Mr Lyons in the show, and Paula Tappenden, who plays Mrs Lyons, have also been with the production for 20 years. “We’re the three proper oldies of the show now.”

As for the new faces joining the cast, “we’ve got to the point now where some of the people in the show saw me in it on school trips!,” he beams, adding that for some, it was seeing the show as a teenager that made them want to go into acting in the first place.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant opens with revival of Enda Walsh’s ‘The Walworth Farce’

Do they ever struggle to pump as much energy into a script and songs they’ve performed thousands of times before? “That’s the weighty responsibility of every long-running show… the importance of [giving each performance our all] is always drilled into us.

“We rely on people to come back and bring their friends or the next generation, so every show has got to deliver,” he says.

Plus, “it sounds pretentious, but each audience is like a brand new individual with a different energy, and that fires us.”

As for what keeps the audience coming back, at the crux of Blood Brothers is a storyline that speaks to audiences regardless of their age or background.

“When you boil it down, it’s about family, loss and bonds. People across the globe can resonate with that,” says Sean.

Indeed, productions of Blood Brothers have been staged all over, from Qatar to Argentina and Thailand, albeit with altered scripts.

Once the tour ends in April, Sean is looking forward to having a little bit of downtime at his home in North Wales, but it won’t be long before he’s back on stage, performing in Jack and the Beanstalk at  the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton. “I’ve been doing it for a few years now, so I’m classed as a resident comic,” he says, proudly.

For now though, his attention is solely on making Blood Brothers shine for new and returning audiences alike, but it’s particularly new school audiences Sean hopes to impress.

“Nobody wrote a play to be read, it’s meant to be performed,” he explains. “Even a show like Blood Brothers can be as boring as maths if you’re just sat there reading it in the classroom. Then suddenly, when they see it being performed, you see their little lightbulbs go on… that’s lovely.”

Blood Brothers is running at the Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. February 28 – March 4, performances at 7:30pm and additionally 2:30pm on select dates. Admission: £25. www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-blood-brothers-bromley-2023  

What’s on: Comedy Coming To Blackheath Halls

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

Sign up to get the latest news from southwark and surrounding areas direct to your inbox each morning.

We'll never send you spam or share your email address.

Find out more in our Privacy Policy .

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription you will not receive any newsletters until your subscription is confirmed.

Sister Midnight: Community-owned live music venue to open in Lewisham 

Residents forced to flee forest hill house fire, holly o'mahony.

Stay Connected

Popular articles.

Millwall fans to walk around Bermondsey in West Ham shirts in honour of young goalie with ‘a few months to live’

Peckham pub has the ‘best burger’ in the UK

Boy, 15, stabbed in Surrey Quays

Casper De Norre opens up on Zian Flemming’s Millwall exit – and gives insight into what happened on deadline day before Burnley move

Millwall boss discusses how club were able to loan in-demand striker from Championship rivals

Featured articles.

How Brockwell Hall’s restoration is rekindling memories of when the park was wartime farmland and training grounds

Theft of World War One monument from Crystal Palace Park an ‘insult’ to thousands who ‘paid the ultimate sacrifice’

Useful pages.

• Signup for our Newsletter
• About Axate
• Cookie Policy
• Terms of Use
• Accessibility
• Modern Slavery Statement
• Cookie Policy (UK)

© 2022 Southwark News

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

• South London
• Millwall Fixtures
• Millwall Results
• Lifestyle & Events
• Read our print products (Digital Editions)

• Edinburgh Festival
• Student Productions
• Advertising

‘It was my dream role’: After two extraordinary decades Sean Jones prepares to bid farewell to Blood Brothers

Here he tells Musical Theatre Review contributor Jeremy Chapman what the part has meant to him, recalls how he met his actress-wife Tracy through the show and the day he fell off the stage and reveals why he has decided to move on…

We read the current tour of Blood Brothers as Mickey will be your last in a key role you have played off and on since 1999. Why have you decided to stop now?

I left the show a couple of years ago fairly abruptly due to my parents’ failing health so never felt I got the chance to say a proper goodbye to this fabulous show. So coming back was an easy choice but age-wise it’s a hefty part that requires energy so I think it’ll be a good time to go before I get noticeably too old!

When and where was the first time you saw the show, how old were you and who played the two main parts?

I first saw the show as a drama student in about 1992, mainly as some of my colleagues saw the show and remarked it’d be a good part for me so I was intrigued. Sadly I missed seeing the iconic Con O’Neill (Olivier Award-winning Mickey in the first 1987 UK tour/West End revival) but I did see Russell Boulter who was a wonderful Mickey and I became immediately obsessed with the part and the show. Other parts were played by Mark Hutchinson, who became my Eddie on many occasions, and Stephanie Lawrence was Mrs Johnstone.

Did you fall in love with the show and the character immediately?

I realise I’ve partly answered this… but, yes, it was a light-bulb moment when I realised I had the right attributes for this show and character.

Sean Jones (Mickey) and Niki Evans (Mrs Johnstone) in the Blood Brothers UK 2022 tour. Picture: Jack Merriman

You have been involved with the show and the part for well over 20 years. Have you a ballpark figure of how many times you have played Mickey?

I genuinely have no idea!

Have you come across audiences who can’t understand why a grown man is playing a boy from the age of seven right through to his troubled teenage years?

No, I think the nature of theatre is that audiences understand storytelling and when Mickey delivers his poem (‘I wish I was our Sammy’) they immediately understand and buy into it. Very clever writing.

At this stage of your career do you think the next actor who assumes the role should be as young as, or younger than, you were when you first got the part? Or could you see yourself ever coming back to it?

Well, never say never obviously. I think as long as you have the energy and physicality the age kinda becomes irrelevant.

How many of the last 22 years have you NOT been on the road with Blood Brothers… and what have you got planned when you finally hang up Mickey’s baggy jumper?

About eight of those years I think. Also the way Blood Brothers tours work means we usually have summer and Christmas off so we often get the chance to do other work. I’m a regular panto face (most recently in New Brighton) but have also notched up regular additional credits over the years so BB has never felt an albatross around my neck. I would just like to continue being a jobbing actor. Especially after the last couple of years.

There must have plenty of tears and plenty of funny stories down the years. Give the one most memorable example of each and has anything ever gone spectacularly wrong like the gun not going off or scenes played in the wrong order?

So many things go wrong from lines fluffing, sets not working, guns misfiring, but I think my favourite was falling off the back of the stage (about a foot and a half drop). I remember the audience particularly enjoying that!

What’s it like to be connected with one role for half your working life? Are you calling it a day because it has become too familiar and you need a new challenge?

No, work is work. Actors act and when Bill [Kenwright] asked me to reprise the role it didn’t take any soul searching. It’s my job and a pleasure to do it.

Sean Jones (Mickey) & Joel Benedict (Eddie) in the Blood Brothers UK 2022 tour. Picture: Jack Merriman

Your wife Tracy used to go on tour with you, playing Mrs Lyons. Does she do any acting now? [Sean met Tracy Spencer at a Blood Brothers production in 1999, they were understudying the roles they later took on and got married in Cardiff in 2004 on the morning of a two-show day. Baby daughter Eleanor, born in 2009, used to tour with them!]

Yes she still performs a lot and runs a very successful charity providing arts-based solutions for companies and schools while also running a fabulous youth theatre.

Your tour stop at Wimbledon was the fourteenth time I’ve seen Blood Brothers, starting with Barbara Dickson in its London premiere back in the 1983. It’s the most times I’ve seen any musical yet I still get a real fright when those gunshots go off even though I know they are coming. Do you still get the same frisson of excitement from doing the show that the audience gets every time from watching it?

Yup, I never take for granted how electric this show is and it’s been fantastic getting that buzz again.

It will obviously leave a big hole in your life as it was clearly a role you always wanted to play. If you hadn’t done Mickey, what part in what other show have you most wished you had done?

Sad to say, THIS was it. It was my dream role and my main ambition from the point I first saw it so I always have to pinch myself that I got to realise that goal. The fact that so many people responded to my interpretation is mind-blowing. I’ll always feel lucky!

• T he UK tour of Blood Brothers continues until 22 October 2022.

Join the Conversation

Sign up to receive news and updates from Musical Theatre Review. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, click here .

Bill Kenwright , Blood Brothers , New Wimbledon Theatre , Sean Jones , Tracy Spencer , Willy Russell

Comments are closed.

Search the site.

• Edinburgh 2018
• Edinburgh 2019
• Edinburgh 2021
• Edinburgh 2022
• Edinburgh 2023
• Edinburgh 2024
• Special Feature Sponsored
• Uncatergorised

Sign up for our Newsletter

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, click here .

All contents © Musical Theatre Review, 2013 - 2019. All rights reserved. Published by Musical Theatre Review, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK. ISSN 2632-4318

• West End & London Musicals
• Musicals on tour
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024

Blood Brothers tour

Currently touring until 6 April 2024

Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

Blood Brothers tour dates and tickets

• Edinburgh , Edinburgh Playhouse 24 September 2024 - 28 September 2024 Book tickets ➤
• Glasgow , King's Theatre 15 October 2024 - 19 October 2024 Book tickets ➤

The iconic Blood Brothers presents a compelling and emotional story of twins separated at birth. They are raised in vastly different circumstances and reunite later in life, leading to a destiny filled with poignant outcomes.

The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

Meet the cast and creative team!

The new 2024 tour cast will see Niki Colwell Evans and Sean Jones continue to play the iconic roles of Mrs Johnstone and Mickey Johnstone respectively, with Gemma Broderick reprising her role of Linda, and Joe Sleight as Eddie.

Also returning to the cast for 2024 is Timothy Lucas (Sammy), Josh Capper (Neighbour), Sarah Jane Buckley (Mrs Lyons), Tim Churchill (Mr Lyons), Jess Smith (Brenda), Graeme Kinniburgh (Postman/Bus Conductor), Chloe Pole (Donna Marie), Alex Harland (Policeman / Teacher) and Danny Knott (Perkins).

The tour is directed by Bob Tomson & Bill Kenwright with musical direction by Matt Malone, sound design by Dan Samson, set and costume design by Andy Walmsley and lighting design by Nick Richings.

About the show

Age recommendation and guidance: 12+ No Under 5s allowed in venue. Under 16s must be accompanied at all times by an adult (18+)

Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes incl. interval

More Musicals On Tour

Calamity Jane

Dear Evan Hansen

Disney's Aladdin

• Off-West End
• West End Special Offers
• Inner London
• Outer London

Other Cities

• Stratford-upon-Avon

Complimentary And Deeply Discounted Shows

Enjoy live events at insider prices. Club members can see a different show every night of the week!

Discount Ticket Alerts

Get exclusive access to priority onsales and special offers, plus never miss out on the biggest stories from the West End, Off-West End and beyond.

By signing up you are confirming you are 16 or over. View our Privacy Policy.

Spring 2023 tour cast for ”Blood Brothers” revealed

10 January 2023

The cast for the new tour of Blood Brothers has been unveiled as the show embarks once more on tour.

Bill Kenwright and Bob Tomson’s production of Willy Russell’s seminal musical has been touring the nation for a number of years, and features musical direction by Matt Malone, sound by Dan Samson, set and costume by Andy Walmsley and lighting by Nick Richings.

The show tells the story of two brothers, separated at birth, whose lives collide in a tumultuous tragedy. It features such numbers as “Marilyn Monroe” and “Tell Me It’s Not True”. The piece recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Currently set to appear in the show for this new tour will be Niki Colwell Evans, playing the role of Mrs Johnstone, alongside Richard Munday as the Narrator, Sean Jones as Mickey, Joe Sleight as Eddie, Paula Tappenden as Mrs Lyons, Tim Churchill as Mr Lyons, Olivia Sloyan as Linda, Timothy Lucas as Sammy, Gemma Brodrick as Donna Marie/ Miss Jones, Jacob Yolland as Postman / Bus Conductor, Josh Capper as the Neighbour, Amy Murphy as Brenda, Connor Bannister as Perkins and Nick Wilkes as Policeman / Teacher.

The show willl open in Southend on 17 January before visting Chesterfield, Derry, Dublin, Richmond, Bromley, Swindon, Crewe, Wellingborough, Coventry, Hastings, Cheltenham, Crawley and Sheffield.

Sign up for our newsletters for more

Related articles.

Blood Brothers reveals full cast for 2022 tour

Birmingham Hippodrome announces reopening plans from next month

Blood Brothers unveils 2021 tour cast

Viral video pokes fun at the way northerners are portrayed in musicals

Latest reviews.

23.5 Hours at the Park Theatre – review

Art at Theatre Royal Bath and on tour – review

The Real Thing at the Old Vic – review

G at the Royal Court – review

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold at Chichester’s Minerva Theatre – review

The History Boys at Theatre Royal Bath and on tour – review

Theatre news & discounts.

Get the best deals and latest updates on theatre and shows by signing up for WhatsOnStage newsletter today!

Exclusive prices in London Theatre Week!

The Real Thing

Why Am I So Single? a Big Fancy Musical

The Wizard of Oz

Biggest stories of the month

Titanique announces West End details and dates

Exclusive: Moulin Rouge! reveals new West End company

The top plays and musicals to see this autumn – plus a rallying cry for artists

Les Misérables arena tour – cast dates and performers for European shows confirmed

Latest videos.

Mischief celebrate ten years of The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End

A joyous rendition of “Happy Birthday”… what could possibly go wrong?!

Blood Brothers remains a real five star show

Anyone who has seen Blood Brothers more than once knows that no matter what the production is like, no matter how strong the performances are, no matter if the set falls down and the lights go out, you are still going to be stood on your feet applauding at the end,

• 11:36, 20 MAR 2024

Sign up for our Torbay newsletter and you'll never miss a big story again

We have more newsletters

BLOOD BROTHERS REVIEW

PRINCESS THEATRE

Anyone who has seen Blood Brothers more than once knows that no matter what the production is like, no matter how strong the performances are, no matter if the set falls down and the lights go out, you are still going to be stood on your feet applauding at the end, because the show itself is one of those rare masterpieces of theatrical genius. This has a lot to do with the fact that it is a musical with songs built around an emotional and dramatic story, with lyrics written to enhance the prose, rather than an unconnected collection of songs with a few lines of dialogue thrown in between. And it’s the emotion that this story elicits from us that is its greatest strength and cannot fail to make you forever remember how powerful this piece of theatre is.

I can’t tell you the full plot because it would ruin any first time viewing of the show, but I can tell you that it revolves around two twin boys who do not know they are brothers. As we follow their lives growing up and the trials and tribulations of the people around them, we are swept up in an emotional rollercoaster of laughter and tears, shown how hard life can be and what difficult choices people must make in order to survive. This latest tour reunites actors who have played these roles in the past and their confidence, and understanding of its impact, helps them deliver some powerhouse performances, while never overplaying the roles or forgetting that the show is the star. Sean Jones as Mickey and Joe Sleight as Eddie were particularly impressive in roles that are not easy to play, as we see them age from children to adults. But they perfectly captured the innocence and fun of childhood, as well as the obligatory teenage angst and confusion. Niki Colwell Evans was a warm and endearing Mrs Johnstone and Sarah Jane Buckley as Mrs Lyons carefully crafted a woman who was haunted by her fears and paid the price for her past actions, never finding what she had wished for. Vocally every single performer was superb and on the few occasions when the entire company sang together, the result was incredibly moving.

Having seen this show several times, I was inevitably going to compare it to other productions I have seen, some of which blew me away and all of which left me reaching for a tissue at the end. My only disappointment with this production was that I left the theatre with dry eyes. This was due to a single directorial decision covering around five seconds of action, which left me completely devoid of all the emotion that had been building up inside me throughout those two and a bit hours. Without giving away any spoilers, laughter is not the thing that one should be hearing from the audience at its most poignant and shocking moment but what happened was so loud and so quick that it made everyone jump, and ripples of giggles ran around the auditorium, completely dissolving the tension that had been built up so sensitively by the actors in the moments leading up to it. The friend I was watching it with, who had not seen the show before, asked me what had happened at the end as it all took place so quickly, she wasn’t sure who had done what to whom.

That said, it’s still a 5* show and the cast fully deserved the numerous bows they took at the end to a complete standing ovation. Rarely do musical theatre actors have to give so much, not just of their talent but also of themselves.

Blood Brothers runs at The Princess Theatre, Torquay until Saturday 23 March

SARAH O’CONNOR

• Entertainment
• Most Recent

• Advanced Search
• Most Popular
• Enhanced Performances
• Largest tours
• Panto/Christmas Shows
• UKTW News/Reviews
• Newsletters
• Latest Information

Blood Brothers

Tour synopsis, cast & creatives.

Cast/Performers

Creatives/company, news/reviews, tour details for blood brothers 2023 to 2024, dates for blood brothers (musical) tour, qr/qtix links.

Embed Information

Tellme notifications.

User Reviews

Add a review.

'I still get incredibly nervous': Actor Sean Jones on 24 years touring with Blood Brothers

Bill Kenwright’s acclaimed production of Willy Russell’s moving musical, Blood Brothers, has hit the road again, and it’s calling in at the Churchill at the end of this month. A timeless story of international pertinence, it follows Mickey and Eddie, two brothers separated by birth but brought together through an unlikely friendship. While their life […]

Coverage Details

Bias distribution.

• There is no tracked Bias information for the sources covering this story.

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Similar News Topics

charleshutchpress

The art beat of YORKshire

Sean Jones heads back to York as scally Mickey in his ‘last ever’ Blood Brothers tour

AT 51, Sean Jones is still “running around in a baggy green jumper and short trousers” playing Liverpool lad Mickey in Willy Russell’s heartbreaking musical Blood Brothers into a 23 rd year.

“It would definitely be me, Yul Brynner and Topol in the top three,” says the Welsh actor, in recognition of their long service to Blood Brothers, The King And I and Fiddler On The Roof respectively, although Sean has not kept a record of the exact number of performances he has chalked up.

Next week, on his return to impresario Bill Kenwright and Bob Tomson’s touring production for a run from January to late-October, Sean will be taking his Mickey back to the Grand Opera House in York.

Musicals were not his first love, but maybe this was destiny. “I’d had had a string of auditions for musicals off my agent but was getting very disconcerted as I’d trained to be an actor, not a singer and dancer, and then he said again, ‘I’ve got you an audition…for a musical.”

However, this time it was different. “It was the chance to be cover for Mickey in Blood Brothers, which has always been my dream role.

“It’s the most prepared I’ve ever been for an audition! Thankfully I got the gig as understudy on tour, and I remember we came to York on that first tour in 1999.”

He had trodden the boards in York previously. “On my first time there, I did [Agatha Christie’s] A Murder Is Announced with Richard Todd in 1993 in my first job after drama college, with Bill Kenwright as producer, and I remember thinking, ‘that might give me an inroad to Blood Brothers’!”

Sean would subsequently become embedded in Russell’s musical, even meeting his wife, actress Tracy Spencer, though the show. “Tracy played Mrs Lyons. We got married in 2004 on a two-show day when we were at the Cardiff New Theatre,” he says.

“We got married in the morning, did the matinee, took the cast out for a drink, then did the evening performance.

“Blood Brothers is absolutely ingrained in me. When Tracy fell pregnant with Eleanor, after three months, we decided we would go out on tour for four years in the show!”

In Russell’s fateful musical, when young mother Mrs Johnstone is deserted by her husband, she is left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children, taking a job as a housekeeper to make ends meet.

Whereupon her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again, this time with twins. In a moment of desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer, leading to Mickey and Eddie being separated at birth, growing up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.

“It’s such a journey that Mickey goes on and such a great role for an actor to get his teeth into, with all the high comedy that Willy Russell has written that requires plenty of skill, and then the final hour that takes the audience to some really dark places, with the last few scenes being so harrowing.”

Sean’s career has taken in stage roles in pantomime, Macbeth and Jacqueline’s Wilson’s world premiere of Wave Me Goodbye and television appearances in Emmerdale, The Royal Today and Hollyoaks, but he keeps returning to Blood Brothers, never tiring of playing Mickey from the age of seven, through his teens and into his troubled adult life.

Out of the past 22 years, only eight have not been spent stretching that trademark baggy jumper over his knees. “It’s one of those things, whatever job anyone has, there’s a certain amount of repetition, whether working in a bank or a shop. Same job, different ****! With Blood Brothers, same job, same lines, but the audience keeps you fresh,” he says.

“Each audience comes with a different challenge each show, and you find yourself becoming a bit of a scientist, thinking, ‘who we’ve got in today; what do they want; what do they need?’. You pay attention to that, and that’s why it will always be fresh.

“On top of that, Mickey is such a phenomenal role that I’m still finding new things in it after all these years.”

Playing Mickey for more than two decades, Sean has found his performance evolving over that time. “When you’re using techniques in order to get yourself into the zone for those last 30 minutes, the more you can draw on your own emotional memories, because all you are as an older person is a young person with more despair.”

Sean left the show for three years after his parents became poorly. “I needed to be there, with them,” he says. “But I always felt there might be a chance to come back.”

When Bill Kenwright asked him to reprise his Mickey once more, he said yes. “It’s like, go find me a better musical theatre role than Mickey,” says Sean. “There’s a plethora of great roles in musical theatre but none that goes on the journey that Mickey does. It’s brilliant storytelling theatre with so much comedy and then absolute heartbreak.”

The tour publicity states this will be Sean’s “final ever tour of the show”, but will it? “I’m happy to carry on doing it as long as Bill Kenwright is happy for me to get away with doing it!” he says.

“I appear to still have the same energy, hitting all the right notes in the right order, and as long as that keeps happening, I’m happy to keep going, but all I want to do is to keep on being a jobbing actor. That term shouldn’t be a slur. It’s about doing a job I love, whether in Blood Brothers, or in a small play at Theatre Clwyd, though I’d also love to do more screen work.”

Blood Brothers runs at Grand Opera House, York, from April 5 to 9, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Box office: 0844 871 7615 or at atgtickets.com/York.

• Worldwide News
• Restaurants and Bars

Multi Award-Winning Production of ‘Blood Brothers’ Announces Latest UK Tour Dates

Bill Kenwright ‘s legendary, award-winning production of the international smash hit musical,  Blood Brothers  continues to tour across the UK with latest dates, venues and casting announced. The much-loved musical, known for sell out houses across the country, returns after a short break with gusto from 26 June to late 2023. Starting back in Norwich, Blood Brothers will travel up and down the country this summer and autumn with further venues to be announced. 

Niki Colwell Evans  and  Sean Jones , will continue to play the iconic roles of Mrs Johnstone and Mickey Johnstone respectively, with Gemma Brodrick stepping into the role of Linda, the “role of a lifetime” for the actress who has been a part of the production since she began in 2019.

Niki Colwell Evans  first rose to fame in 2007 when she reached the semi-final of series 4 of The X Factor UK mentored by Louis Walsh. After her debut solo single  ‘Love Me No More ’ in 2008, she went on to play the iconic role Mrs Johnstone in  Blood Brothers  at the Phoenix Theatre between 2008-2009 and in 2010 where she received rave reviews from critics. Following on from this she performed in the pantomimes  Cinderella  as the Fairy Godmother at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (2009-2010) and in  Kinky Boots  as Trish (UK Tour 2018/21). She played the role of Paulette in the musical adaptation of  Legally Blonde  (UK Tour 2012) receiving high acclaim for her performance as Elle’s sassy confidante. Over the years, Niki has toured as a solo singer with pop stars such as Sonia, Lonnie Gordon, Big Fun and Yell. In 2016, she performed at the Queen’s 90 th  celebrations at Windsor Castle alongside Dame Helen Mirren, Damien Lewis, Andrea Boccelli, Katherine Jenkins, Gary Barlow, Kylie Minogue and many more.

Se an Jones  continues in the role of Mickey in  Blood Brothers . Other stage credits include:  Aladdin; Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan; Cinderella; Snow White  (UK Tour) ; Macbeth  (UK Tour and Singapore); and Jacqueline’s Wilson’s world premiere of  Wave Me Goodbye  (Theatr Clwyd). TV credits include:  Emmerdale;   The Royal Today ; and  Hollyoaks .

Completing the current cast for 2023 is  Joe Sleight  (Eddie),  Danny Whitehead  (Narrator) and  Timothy Lucas  (Sammy),  Josh Capper  (Neighbour),  Paula Tappenden  (Mrs Lyons),  Tim Churchill  (Mr Lyons), Jess Smith  (Brenda),  Tori Hargreaves  (Donna Marie/Miss Jones),  Connor Bannister  (Perkins),  Graeme Kinniburgh  (Postman/Bus Conductor), and  Nick Wilkes  (Teacher/Policeman).

Written by award-winning playwright  Willy Russell , few musicals have been received with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning  Blood Brothers . Considered  ‘one of the best musicals ever written’  ( Sunday Times ), Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.  It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it  “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval”  ( Daily Mail ). 

This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. The musical has since triumphed across the globe, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, and scooping up four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.  

The superb score includes  A Bright New Day ,  Marilyn Monroe  and the emotionally charged hit  Tell Me It’s Not True . 

Blood Brothers  tells the captivating and moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.  

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.  

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. The celebrated on-woman play earned Russell his third Olivier Award and is currently running on the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre until June 2023, starring Sheridan Smith.

Norwich Theatre Royal                                   norwichtheatre.org Tue 27 June – Sat 1 July 2023                         01603 630 000

Swansea Grand Theatre                                 swanseagrand.co.uk Tue 4 – Sat 8 July 2023                                   01792 475715

Nottingham Theatre Royal                             trch.co.uk Tue 11 – Sat 15 July 2023                               0115 989 5555

Hull New Theatre                                            hulltheatres.co.uk Tue 18 – Sat 22 July 2023                               01482 300 306

Eastbourne Congress Theatre                        eastbournetheatres.co.uk Tue 25 – Sat 29 July 2023                               01323 412000

Cambridge Arts Theatre                                  cambridgeartstheatre.com                   

Tue 1 – Sat 5 Aug 2023                                   01223 503333

Venue Cymru Llandudno                                venuecymru.co.uk Tue 8 – Sat 12 Aug 2023                                 01492 872000

Chelmsford Civic Theatre                                chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk Tue 15 – Sat 19 Aug 2023                               01245 606 505 Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                         marlowetheatre.com Tue 22 – Sat 26 Aug 2023                               01227 78778

Bristol Hippodrome                                         atgtickets.com/bristol-hippodrome Tue 29 Aug – Sat 2 Sept 2023                         0844 871 7627

Linchfield Garrick                                            lichfieldgarrick.com Tue 5 – Sat 9 Sept 2023                                  01543 412121

Oxford Playhouse                                            oxfordplayhouse.com Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sept 2023                              01865305305

Ipswich Regent Theatres                                ipswichtheatres.co.uk Tue 19 – Sat 23 Sept 2023                              01473 433100 Guildford Yvonne Arnaud                               yvonne-arnaud.co.uk Tue 26 – Sat 30 Sept 2023                              01483 44 00 00

Brighton Theatre Royal                                   atgtickets.com/brighton

Tue 3 – Sat 7 Oct 2023                                    0844 871 7615

Bradford The Alhambra                                   bradford-theatres.co.uk                     Tue 31 Oct – Sat 4 Nov 2023                          01274 432000                                    

• United Kingdom

Sony Unveils the PlayStation 5 Pro: The Pinnacle of Gaming Visuals

Samsung unveils one ui 6.1.1, bringing cutting-edge galaxy ai features to a broader audience, corcoran school and the national gallery of art announce inaugural residency with for freedoms, new book release: ‘the ultimate book of blues guitar legends’, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Entertainment, art, culture

[email protected] +1 (212) 203-0478

+1 212 203 0478 [email protected]

• Team Members
• Collaborate with Us
• Advertise with Us
• Contact MCM
• Publishing Principles of Martin Cid Magazine (MCM)
• Ethical Statement and Commitment – Martin Cid Magazine (MCM)
• Diversity policy
• Corrections policy
• Feedback Policy
• Staff Diversity
• Terms and conditions of use
• Privacy Policy

© Martin Cid Magazine All Rights Reserved

"Terrifically entertaining": Blood Brothers at the Lyceum

Willy Russell's Blood Brothers blends music, comedy, pathos and social commentary. How does the show hold up in 2023?

Sean Jones as Mickey and Joe Sleight as Eddie in Blood Brothers

Over the last 40 years, Blood Brothers has nuzzled its way into the hearts of theatre goers with its blend of music, comedy, pathos and social commentary.

The show tells the story of Mrs Johnstone, a single mother who is struggling to make ends meet. Finding herself pregnant with twins, she realises that she can only afford to keep one of the babies so enters a pact to give one of the children to a well-to-do neighbour, Mrs Lyons. Despite the best efforts of their respective mothers, the boys meet and become best friends, never knowing that they were twins secretly separated at birth.

But as they grow up, their friendship is tested as their lives take very different paths, leading to tragedy.

There is a reason why this play has been so enduring, and that is primarily down to the superb writing by Willy Russell.

The loud first act establishes the characters nicely and is very comedy orientated, although it can come across as a little bit too shouty and unnecessarily chaotic in its presentation at times. The characters are easy for the audience to form a bond with, despite some of their traits being a little clichéd. Mrs Johnstone is a warm and loving mother who takes life, and everything that it can throw at her, in her stride, whilst Mrs Lyons is cold, distant and drives herself over the edge with her paranoia and anxiety.

But it is in the second act where the writing really shines through. The story arcs of the characters are beautifully written, as their lives diverge and the gap between success and failure, and between poverty and affluence, widens. There is genuine drama unfolding on stage, which completely captured and held the audience’s attention, leading them to the highly charged ending that brings proceedings to a close by packing an emotional gut punch.

Comedy and musical numbers aside, the show is a biting social commentary on the issue of class, of the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate and on the opportunities afforded or denied to families due to socio-economic circumstances.

In one scene, the two boys are taken to their respective homes by the police after throwing stones at a house, and Mrs Johnstone is threatened with court, removal of her children and a criminal record over “a very serious crime”. The same incident is relayed to Mrs Lyons as a minor mischief, with a ruffling of Eddie’s hair and a comment about what a good lad he is.

Niki Colwell Evans, Mrs Johnstone and the Spring 2022 Cast in Blood Brothers

The impact of mental health is also featured as Micky’s life spirals downwards and Mrs Lyons becomes increasingly paranoid and anxious.

Russell’s script and story still resonates today, and at times is quite prophetic. During one song, Micky’s employment comes to an end “due to the world situation, the shrinking pound, the global slump and the price of oil”. As you sit in your theatre seat in 2023, you have to wonder how little things have changed since the show was written in 1983.

There are some very good performances in this production. Richard Munday impresses as the narrator, as does Paula Tappenden in her portrayal of Mrs Lyons and her character’s descent into madness. In an ensemble that was strong overall, there were standout performances from Niki Colwell Evans, who offered a warm portrayal of Mrs Johnstone, garnering a genuine empathy from the audience; and primarily from Sean Jones, who portrays the transition of Micky from giddy schoolboy to troubled young adult with ease, having made the role very much his own over the years.

On this tour, the production feels refreshed. The overuse of electric drums and echo microphones that has previously made the show feel dated seems to have been quelled (or at least was certainly less noticeable), though there are some aspects of the script that could be curtailed. The overuse of sexual language towards women in one scene sits uncomfortably and feels unnecessary in the post-#MeToo era, especially as it holds no relevance to the narrative.

However, Blood Brothers remains terrifically entertaining, and it is not difficult to see why this show remains as popular as it is. Having become affectionately known as “The Standing Ovation Musical”, Sheffield audiences were quick to uphold that tradition as they promptly leapt to their feet in thunderous applause as the curtain fell.

Stay in touch with Sheffield

Don't miss any of our independent, award-winning citizen journalism. From community news and opinion to featured artists, cultural content and indie trade pieces - we've got you covered.

Live / stage review Endurance in the eye of the storm: Tom Payne’s Storm-Cloud Observations of the Sky

The performer’s reimagining of a controversial 1884 lecture by John Ruskin felt startlingly prescient in the fact of the climate crisis engulfing our world.

"Heartwarming, uplifting and emotional": Come From Away at the Lyceum

A remarkable true story of the Newfoundland people who opened their hearts and homes to air passengers stranded in the aftermath of 9/11, this sung-through musical leaves the audience feeling like they've had their soul hugged.

Live / stage review “Indulge in some daft joy”: the Northern News podcast record live at The Leadmill

Comedians Ian Smith and Amy Gledhill kept their Leadmill audience entertained with absurdities, and Philippa Willitts can’t get enough of it. 

Live / stage review "Beautifully chaotic": Jessica Fostekew at the Leadmill

Watching a comedian with the experience, intuition and honesty of Jess Fostekew is a pleasure.

SBC Theatre An insider's view: "This group knows how to get the best out of you"

Stand And Be Counted (SBC) Theatre run several groups across Yorkshire – creative empowerment programmes for people seeking sanctuary, supporting them as participants, artists and leaders. Mary Carr found out more ahead of SBC's Unplugged event for Migration Matter Festival 2024 on 19 June.

Full Cast Announced For BLOOD BROTHERS UK Tour

The UK tour launches from Norwich Theatre Royal on 27 June. 

Bill Kenwright 's award-winning production of the international smash hit musical, BLOOD BROTHERS is back on tour this summer. The much-loved musical kicks off its summer tour from Norwich Theatre Royal on 27 June. 

LATEST NEWS

The cast will include: Niki Colwell Evans (Mrs Johnstone), Danny Whitehead (Narrator), Sean Jones (Mickey), Joe Sleight (Eddie), Paula Tappenden (Mrs. Lyons), Gemma Brodrick (Linda), Timothy Lucas (Sammy), Tim Churchill ( Mr. Lyons ), Nick Wilkes (Policeman/ Teacher), Tori Hargreaves (Donna Marie/ Miss Jones ), Connor Bannister (Perkins), Josh Capper (Neighbour), Jess Smith (Brenda), and Graeme Kinniburgh (Postman/ Bus Conductor).

Written by award-winning playwright Willy Russell , few musicals have been received with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning BLOOD BROTHERS. Considered 'one of the best musicals ever written' (Sunday Times), Bill Kenwright 's production surpassed 10,000 performances in London's West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the 'Standing Ovation Musical', as inevitably it "brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval" (Daily Mail).

This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening at  The Liverpool Playhouse  in 1983. The musical has since triumphed across the globe, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, and scooping up four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.

BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating and moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.

The tour schedule is as follows: 

27 June – 1 July: NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL

4 July – 8 July: SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE

11 July – 15 July: THEATRE ROYAL NOTTINGHAM

18 July – 22 July: HULL NEW THEATRE

25 July – 29 July: CONGRESS THEATRE, EASTBOURNE THEATRES

1 August – 5 August: CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE

08 August – 12 August: VENUE CYMRU LLANDUDNO

15 August – 19 August: CHELMSFORD THEATRE

22 August – 26 August: MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY

29 August – 2 September: BRISTOL HIPPODROME

05 September – 09 September: LICHFIELD GARRICK

12 September – 16 September: OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

19 September – 23 September: REGENT THEATRE, IPSWICH

26 September – 30 September: Yvonne Arnaud , GUILDFORD

03 October – 07 October: THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON

31 October – 04 November: ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD

Recommended For You

West-End Tickets

Off West-End

BritishTheatre.com

NEWS TICKER

Initial Casting Announced for Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan’s The Producers at Menier Chocolate Factory

Revealed Casting Announced for Coventry's Belgrade Theatre

Royal Court's Brace, Brace extends run

Blood Brothers Tour 2023 UK | Tour Schedule and tickets

Published on

April 19, 2021

douglasmayo

The British Theatre website has been established to celebrate the rich and diverse theatrical culture of the United Kingdom.  Our ethos revolves around encouraging and nurturing the performing arts in all its forms. The spirit of theatre is very much alive and the British Theatre website is at the forefront of delivering news and information to audiences and enthusiasts everywhere. Our team of theatre journalists and reviewers are working hard to cover productions and news.

© BRITISHTHEATRE.COM 2024 All Rights Reserved.

PRIVACY POLICY

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

PRESS/MEDIA

TICKETING PARTNERS

OUR RATINGS SYSTEM

Getting To Know The Cast Of Blood Brothers

Getting to know you.

Where is home?

Denbigh in North Wales

Three reasons you love where you live?

Beautiful scenery, stunning beaches and it’s drenched in history.

THE DAY JOB

What do you do for a living?

I’m an actor.

A day in the life of you?

At the moment, it’s get up and have two double espressos before popping out to the shops. My afternoons are spent watching a bit of telly and scrolling through my phone before getting ready to perform in the evenings.

Any recent, ongoing or upcoming projects or achievements we should know about?

I’m currently playing Mickey Johnstone in Blood Brothers, which you may have recently seen at Sunderland Empire. I’m soon to be in panto in New Brighton too.

What does downtime mean to you?

Playing my guitar and writing songs.

LESSONS IN LIFE

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Always be kind and enjoy the moment.

What is your greatest fear?

Enclosed spaces.

Which living person do you most admire and why?

My favourite actor. Jack Nicholson. His commitment to the craft and his intelligence inspires me.

LIVING LUXE

What is top of your bucket list?

To go to Memphis and Graceland.

What is your most treasured possession?

A handmade guitar that I had made after losing my parents.

What does the weekend mean to you?

At the moment, two shows on a Saturday and a long drive home, followed by a tired but satisfying Sunday.

A memorable holiday?

Paris in 2004 when I got engaged.

Who would be your top-three dinner guests?

Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen.

The last place you ate?

Pieminster.

The last book you read?

The Notebook.

The last thing you listened to?

Billie Eilish (thanks to my 13 year-old-daughter).

The last thing you watched?

Foxy Brown with Pam Grier.

Your three luxe things in life?

My family, good food and live music.

See what’s coming up at Sunderland Empire: tgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/

More like this

Rambert’s peaky blinders returns to sunderland empire, key elements of an eco-friendly home office, luxe lowdown with james carss, ceo of castle peak group, three medalists from the north east in the 2024 paralympics, car review: behind the wheel of mini countryman, top five best thriller books for the autumn season, luxe recommends.

Rambert’s Peaky Blinders Returns to Sunderland Empire

Rambert’s Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby will take over the Sunderland…

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, creating a home office that is both…

James Carss is the founder of Castle Peak Group – a consultancy focused…

Now that the Paralympics 2024 have officially come to a close, it’s time…

Buckle up as Bob Arora gets behind the wheel to review the new…

There’s no autumn without a good thriller book. We’ve compiled a list of…

Santa On the Roof 2024 Returns to Fenwick Newcastle

Fenwick’s Santa on the Roof 2024, is returning to the city this festive period, running…

HelloFresh Partners with Just Eat Newcastle

For twelve weeks, those in Newcastle can order exclusive HelloFresh recipe kits via Just Eat…

North East’s Biggest Scare Park, Psycho Path 2024, Returns

The North East’s award-winning scare attraction, Psycho Path 2024, has ramped up the…

Must-have Interior Pieces for Your Autumn Home Decor

As September arrives, the changing scenery invites us to indulge in all things…

Shopping cart

No products in the basket.

£ 0.00

Shipping and taxes calculated at checkout.

or Continue Shopping →

Blood Brothers Tour

The Blood Brothers UK tour   is on tour and will continue into 2025… Sign up to our touring alerts and we will let you know when the show comes to your area.

BLOOD BROTHERS UK TOUR 2024 DATES & TICKETS

Blood Brothers Tour BLACKPOOL Tue 03 Sep – Sat 07 Sep 2024 Blood Brothers Tour RHYL Wed 28 Aug – Sat 31 Aug 2024 Blood Brothers Tour CARDIFF Tue 20 Aug – Sat 24 Aug 2024 Blood Brothers Tour BIRMINGHAM Tue 30 Apr – Sat 04 May 2024 Blood Brothers Tour LEICESTER Tue 23 Apr – Sat 27 Apr 2024 Blood Brothers Tour TUNBRIDGE WELLS Tue 16 Apr – Sat 20 Apr 2024 Blood Brothers Tour BATH Tue 09 Apr – Sat 13 Apr 2024 Blood Brothers Tour DARTFORD Tue 02 Apr – Sat 06 Apr 2024 Blood Brothers Tour BILLINGHAM Tue 26 Mar – Sat 30 Mar 2024 Blood Brothers Tour TORQUAY Tue 19 Mar – Sat 23 Mar 2024 Blood Brothers Tour KINGS LYNN Tue 12 Mar – Sat 16 Mar 2024 Blood Brothers Tour SOUTHAMPTON Tue 27 Feb – Sat 02 Mar 2024 Blood Brothers Tour SHREWSBURY Tue 13 Feb – Sat 17 Feb 2024 Blood Brothers Tour NEW BRIGHTON Tue 06 Feb – Sat 10 Feb 2024 Blood Brothers Tour NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Tue 30 Jan – Sat 03 Feb 2024 Blood Brothers Tour MALVERN Tue 23 Jan – Sat 27 Jan 2024 Blood Brothers Tour WOKING Tue 16 Jan – Sat 20 Jan 2024 Blood Brothers Tour BRADFORD Tue 31 Oct – Sat 04 Nov 2023 Blood Brothers Tour SAFFRON WALDEN Tue 24 Oct – Sat 28 Oct 2023 Blood Brothers Tour BRIGHTON Tue 03 Oct – Sat 07 Oct 2023 Blood Brothers Tour GUILDFORD Tue 26 Sep – Sat 30 Sep 2023 Blood Brothers Tour IPSWICH Tue 19 Sep – Sat 23 Sep 2023 Blood Brothers Tour OXFORD Tue 12 Sep – Sat 16 Sep 2023 Blood Brothers Tour LICHFIELD Tue 05 Sep – Sat 09 Sep 2023 Blood Brothers Tour BRISTOL Tue 29 Aug – Sat 02 Sep 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CANTERBURY Tue 22 Aug – Sat 26 Aug 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CHELMSFORD Tue 15 Aug – Sat 19 Aug 2023 Blood Brothers Tour LLANDUDNO Tue 08 Aug – Sat 12 Aug 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CAMBRIDGE Tue 01 Aug – Sat 05 Aug 2023 Blood Brothers Tour EASTBOURNE Tue 25 Jul – Sat 29 Jul 2023 Blood Brothers Tour HULL Tue 18 Jul – Sat 22 Jul 2023 Blood Brothers Tour NOTTINGHAM Tue 11 Jul – Sat 15 Jul 2023 Blood Brothers Tour SWANSEA Tue 04 Jul – Sat 08 Jul 2023 Blood Brothers Tour NORWICH Tue 27 Jun – Sat 01 Jul 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CRAWLEY Tue 18 Apr – Sat 22 Apr 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CHELTENHAM Tue 11 Apr – Sat 15 Apr 2023 Blood Brothers Tour HASTINGS Tue 04 Apr – Sat 08 Apr 2023 Blood Brothers Tour COVENTRY Tue 28 Mar – Sat 01 Apr 2023 Blood Brothers Tour WELLINGBOROUGH Tue 21 Mar – Sat 25 Mar 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CREWE Tue 14 Mar – Sat 18 Mar 2023 Blood Brothers Tour SWINDON Tue 07 Mar – Sat 11 Mar 2023 Blood Brothers Tour BROMLEY Tue 28 Feb – Sat 04 Mar 2023 Blood Brothers Tour RICHMOND Tue 21 Feb – Sat 25 Feb 2023 Blood Brothers Tour DUBLIN Tue 07 Feb – Sat 18 Feb 2023 Blood Brothers Tour DERRY Tue 31 Jan – Sat 04 Feb 2023 Blood Brothers Tour CHESTERFIELD Tue 24 Jan – Sat 28 Jan 2023 Blood Brothers Tour SOUTHEND -ON-SEA Tue 17 Jan – Sat 21 Jan 2023 Blood Brothers Tour POOLE Tue 22 Nov – Sat 26 Nov 2022 Blood Brothers Tour SALFORD Tue 18 Oct – Sat 22 Oct 2022 Blood Brothers Tour STOKE-ON-TRENT Tue 27 Sep – Sat 01 Oct 2022 Blood Brothers Tour SUNDERLAND Tue 20 Sep – Sat 24 Sep 2022 Blood Brothers Tour MILTON KEYNES Tue 30 Aug – Sat 03 Sep 2022 Blood Brothers Tour DERBY Tue 19 Apr – Sat 23 Apr 2022 Blood Brothers Tour PETERBOROUGH Tue 29 Mar – Sat 02 Apr 2022 Blood Brothers Tour HIGH WYCOMBE Tue 22 Mar – Sat 26 Mar 2022 Blood Brothers Tour BARNSTAPLE Tue 15 Mar – Sat 19 Mar 2022 Blood Brothers Tour WINDSOR Fri 14 Jan – Sat 29 Jan 2022 Blood Brothers Tour PLYMOUTH Tue 17 Aug – Mon 23 Aug 2021

Is your town or city not on the list above?

Well, you can keep checking back…. Or you can sign up to FREE TOURING ALERTS for your area!

We'll keep you abreast of any new tours announced, and if this show, or any other musical on tour comes to your town, you will be the first to know.

Never miss a show again and be first in line to get tickets!

Official Website: https://www.bloodbrothersmusical.com

WHAT IS BLOOD BROTHERS THE MUSICAL ABOUT?

Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

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.

Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers . Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.

It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (The Daily Mail).

The superb score includes ‘ Bright New Day' ,  ‘Marilyn Monroe' and the emotionally charged hit ‘ Tell Me It’s Not True' .

BLOOD BROTHERS UK TOUR - CAST & CREATIVE

The Blood Brothers cast for the Autumn 2024 tour dates is as follows:

• Vivienne Carlyle  – Mrs Johnstone
• Sean Jones  – Mickey
• Joe Sleight – Eddie
• Sarah Jane Buckley  – Mrs Lyons
• Scott Anson – Narrator
• James Ledsham – Sammy
• Ben Mabberley – Perkins
• Gemma Brodrick – Linda
• Tim Churchill – Mr Lyons
• Alex Harland  – Policeman/Teacher
• Jess Smith  – Brenda
• Chloe Pole  – Donna-Marie
• Graeme Kinniburgh  – Bus Conductor/Postman
• Dominic Gore  – Neighbour

Book, Music & Lyrics by Willy Russell

Directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright

BLOOD BROTHERS TOUR TRAILER - WATCH THE VIDEO!

Listen to music from blood brothers.

Did we help you? Please take a moment to like our Facebook page. 🙂

Did you find this useful? If so, would you 'Like' our Facebook page?

Thank you we are new, and every 'like' goes a long way :).

• Bournemouth
• Derry / Londonderry
• High Wycombe
• Kingston upon Thames
• Milton Keynes
• Newcastle Upon Tyne
• Northampton
• Peterborough
• Southampton
• Southend-on-Sea
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Wolverhampton