Blood Brothers

This is a story that I find very moving: twins separated soon after birth that are raised in totally different social environments, yet are drawn to each other with fatal consequences.

The Direction of the play by Vickie Hobbs brought great depth and emotion to the production throughout. The action was well planned and the characterisations were mostly excellent. Use of an alternative partial cast made the action fresh and evolving, as relationships had to be reformed for each performance. Focus on the characters understanding their actions, as stated in the programme, worked really well and made the play a joy to see. The programme photos were very nicely done!

On entering the Julian Theatre, it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the direction and staging of the play. The two, very different homes depicted were separated by a big, powerful zig-zag pattern on the floor. The poor home showed black mould on the rough, graffitied walls, a grimy window and slung curtain, a torn ironing board cover and basket of washing. The wealthier home was nicely shown with occasional table and Tiffany-style lamp, drawn curtains, polished chairs and table and pictures on the walls. These two homes were clearly set as the defining background to the story.

The support teams worked well in providing smooth changes of scene (apart from one), atmospheric lighting and very realistic costumes. The change of scene to the style in the field was very good, although a little slow. However, the accolades for this production must belong to the actors. It is no mean feat to play a character from age 7 to adulthood, but both lead characters accomplished this well. Mrs Lyons’ breakdown was very well portrayed while Mrs Johnstone became the stable character within the mix, with her poverty and love for both boys.

This play was very moving, emotional and well presented. From the Carol singers singing of hope and joy to the unemployed Eddie to Mickey ensuring that Eddie had a job and a house speak of present times all too clearly. This was an in-depth production that was based on excellent teamwork.

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