Hellooo! I wasn't quite sure how to begin this post, with everything going on in the world at the moment but here we go. It's strange to think that when I went to see the Blood Brothers UK Tour at Grimsby Auditorium, I didn't know that would be the last show I would see for the foreseeable future! I am hoping that this industry, like many others that have been hit recently, will pull through to the other side. However, for now, I'm thinking of post ideas that adapt to the industry as it stands now, which could possibly include writing reviews of shows that have been made available for viewing online. We shall see!
Moving onto this post! On the 11th March, I went to the matinee performance of Blood Brothers at Grimsby Auditorium and I was sat in seat A19 which was the front row! The ticket was £16 (including a Theatre Card discount) which was a bargain and I bought a programme for £3.90 (I think)! I knew nothing about the show going into it and was very intrigued to see what it would be like! I loved the backdrops and how the set was simple but effective. The show expanded beyond the stage at times, which made it more immersive however, from front row, we didn't get the full effect of those aspects of Blood Brothers.
Lyn Paul, who is appearing in the show for the final time, performed the role of Mrs Johnstone and was incredible! The emotion she put into the role was amazing and she definitely didn't hold anything back. The role of Mickey was played by Josh Capper, covering for Alexander Patmore and I also loved his performance! The role seemed to come naturally to Josh and I loved the dynamic between him and Lyn Paul. I also loved the dynamic between Josh and Joel Benedict as Eddie and their duet, That Guy! Danielle Corlass portrayed the role of Linda and I loved the range of emotions she brought to the role. The roles of Donna Marie and Miss Jones were played by Grace Galloway, who also covered the role of Brenda (usually played by Hannah Barr) and the roles of Sammy and Perkins were portrayed by Daniel Taylor and Shaun McCourt respectively. I loved the way the actors played the roles from being children to adults, showing how the characters changed over the years but were still recognisable.
The Narrator was played by Robbie Scotcher whose strong voice was perfect for the role. The character of the Narrator interacted with the other characters at points throughout the show but also stayed out of the way at other points, which I really liked. Paula Tappenden performed as Mrs Lyons and I loved her performance throughout the show! The cast was completed with Tim Churchill as Mr Lyons, Paul Westwood as the Policeman and Teacher and Graeme Kinniburgh as the Bus Conductor. I found it interesting that there were no off-stage swings in the show and how the performers took on multiple roles which can change from show to show.
Overall, I loved the Blood Brothers cast and particularly the emotional performances from Lyn Paul (Mrs Johnstone), Josh Capper (Mickey) and Danielle Corlass (Linda). The whole cast put on an incredible show and I loved being able to see it from the front row. It's definitely more of an emotional production however, I enjoyed the humour sprinkled in throughout the show and Blood Brothers is definitely worth a visit in the future!
Thank you for reading! Stay safe and stay inside!
Sophie
