REVIEW: ‘Storm Rebecca’ lifts Blood Brothers audience out of their seats

The packed house roared its approval for the performance by actress Rebecca Storm of the Catholic Liverpool mother Mrs Johnstone - forced by poverty to make the agonising decision to give away one of her twin boys in Willy Russell’s much-loved musical. 

It is said that at the age of 23, Storm auditioned for Blood Brothers, which was her first musical show. Although a little young to play the character of Mrs Johnstone, the Catholic Liverpudian mother of seven, author Willy Russell was captivated by her voice and gave her the role.

Playing the titular twin boys were Alexander Patmore (Mickey) and Joel Benedict (Eddie) who had the whole theatre in tears with their performances - tears of laughter at their portrayal of the twins meeting as schoolboys and tears of emotion at their portrayal of the grown men struggling with the different paths their lives had lead them down.

With an ensemble who rarely take a break - they portray ‘scally’ kids playing with dustbin lids and worms, milkmen, postmen, bailiffs, neighbours, schoolmates, judges, gynaecologists and many othern characters - Blood Brothers is a riot of songs and emotions.

Danielle Corlass caught my attention with her fantastic performance of Linda - the girl in the middle of the pair of twins. From pretty little schoolgirl with an aim like Annie Oakley to confident teenager to young bride and mother and heartbroken wife desperate to keep Mickey out of jail and off medication, she played Linda with the perfect mix of ‘rascality’, flirtiness, caring and love.

With Blood Brothers regularly appearing on the exam syllabus, the audience is usually packed with schoolchildren and the opening night at the Millennium Forum was no exception.

So popular is this musical that tickets are selling fast - even with the addition of matinee performances. Blood Brothers runs at the Millennium Forum until Saturday (March 7).

Tickets from https://www.millenniumforum.co.uk/shows/blood-brothers-2020/