Blood Brothers - Exmouth Players

Storytelling about twins is nothing new of course and looking back there are some classics. Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, has a plot involving two sets of twins. Twins are also at the heart of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper and The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas. In all of these the plots involve identical twins. Mickey and Eddie are however not identical, so it is not immediately apparent that their blood brotherhood is in fact genuine, meaning that whilst they know each other, the secret of their birth remains hidden until they are adults.

The characters created by Willy Russell are wholly believable. It is easy to accept the actors portraying the children, as well as the adults they become, through the carefully constructed dialogue. We may not agree with the decision making of the Mothers prior to the boys' birth, but we understand the reasons for it and become invested in its consequences, with the sinking feeling that nothing good can come of it in the end, signalled by the lyrical warnings the Narrator delivers throughout.

Blood Brothers started its life as a play. It was commissioned by Merseyside Young People's Theatre and was first performed in secondary schools, beginning with Fazakerley Comprehensive School in 1981. It is easy to see how this compelling tale would have captured the attention of even the most reluctant young person compelled to watch it as part of their education. Blood Brothers (Play Version) remains a text which is studied in schools and colleges.

It is inevitable that on hearing the title: Blood Brothers, one immediately thinks of the highly successful stage musical. The Liverpool setting and one musical number will be familiar but this telling of the tale of separated twins relies on the spoken word and some of the story is different, particularly the fateful ending. The audience is therefore encouraged to approach this theatrical tale afresh.

Clare Philbrock Director

Tickets are now on sale on line at Ticket Source or by contacting the Blackmore

Theatre Tel 07484 509514