"Blood Brothers" by Willy Russell

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

"So did you hear the story

Of the Johnston Twins

As like each other as two new pins

Of one womb born on the self-same day

How one was kept and one given away

And did you never hear how the Johnston's died

never knowing that they shared one name

till the day they died when a mother cried

my own dear sons lie slain

And did you never hear of a mother so cruel

there's a stone in place of her heart

Then bring her on and judge for yourselves

How she came to play this part."

This opening is one of the most iconic openings for a musical, and anyone who knows me, knows that this is my all-time favourite musical.

Set in Liverpool during the 1960s, Blood Brothers is a story of nature versus nurture. Recently separated, Mrs Johnstone has been left to provide for seven hungry children. Taking a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet, Johnstone finds she is pregnant once again, this time with twins! In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer and gives one of her new babies away. While Eddie is raised in a wealthy family, Mickey stays with his mum in poverty. But although the fraternal twins are taken to opposite ends of the social spectrum, they unwittingly find each other once again as friends. However, as life progresses, a common love interest and division in their separate career paths make for an explosive climax.

Niki Colwell Evans plays Mrs Johnstone, which she played in 2008/2009/2010. This is the first time that I've seen Niki play Mrs Johnstone, and having seen Lyn Paul, Bernie Nolan, Linda Nolan, Maureen Nolan and Linzi Hateley play the same role, can honestly say that Niki is as good as every Mrs Johnstone I have seen in the past. Niki seems to bring even more emotion to the role and her vocals are stupendously good. Miki also manages to nail the physicality of the role over the years; from her "dancing" days all the way through to the now, more of a shuffle as the years and the worry have taken their toll. Mrs Johnstone is a fabulous character to play, and the story is riddled with superstition which naturally increases the darker elements in the story.

Sean Jones is back once more playing Mickey. Sean doesn't look that much older from when I first saw him play Mickey, but what I noticed this time around was that he seemed to mature visually over the time span of the musical. I knew from previous that he changes his voice register when he grows from being a seven, nearly eight-year-old tyke to a teenager and through to a working man, but this time around I noticed the physical change. You see, I have to see this musical at least four hundred times just to register every little change.

Joe Sleight plays Eddie, Mickey's blood brother. Again, it's wonderful to see, and hear the change from a seven-year-old to a local Housing Councillor, making the time change absolutely believable. The costumes for both Mickey and Eddie also make this credible as they grow out of shorts and jumpers into work clothes. I've not seen Joe before but he has a voice that is very easy on the ear, which also harmonises beautifully with the duets he gets to sing.

Timothy Lucas plays Sammy, who was in "Cilla the Musical" when it came to the Theatre Royal. Filling Daniel Taylor's shoes was always going to be difficult, but as well as acting spiteful to his younger brother, Mickey, he actually contorts his face to look spiteful. Wasn't there also a scene where Sammy eats one of the worms that he keeps down his pants? That is not in this production. Anyway, his other nasty habits, like his talent for projecting bodily fluids at people are still there which causes great reaction from the audience.

Gemma Rodrick plays Linda, and for anyone who has not seen "Blood Brothers" ever before, you get to see an actor portraying a character who grows from a gangly street kid to a sexy, long-legged teenager and through to a defeated wife and mother.

Paula Tappenden is Mrs Lyons. I've had the pleasure of seeing Paula in this role previously, and I know how good she is. The decline in her sanity creates a perfect tension, driven by the Narrator's invisible intervention. The duet with Niki, "My Child", when they are both musing about how their child is going to be raised is quite a sad affair, especially when you know the future that their child has coming. A gorgeous pairing of voices.

Mr Lyons is played by Tim Churchill, another of the regular cast. Mr Lyons injects a levelling influence within the Lyons family, or tries to, but his wife seems to wear the trousers in this relationship, and makes all the decisions while he earns the money.

Danny Whitehead is the Narrator. The Narrator brings the unease and edge to the show, always there when things seem to be going well to dampen and darken the atmosphere, reminding the characters of the pact that was made on the bible. Weaving in and out of the story and the scenery like a shark stalking its' prey. What makes this role so dark is that you never really know if Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons can actually see him, a bit like the devil on your shoulder, or is it just the whiff of superstition that keeps coming back to haunt the two women?

This is the first time I've seen Danny in the role but just listening to the control and power in his voice, I pictured him as Raoul from "Phantom", and guess what? He has played that role and that is the quality of vocals you get from Danny as The Narrator.

The ensemble players are just as good as the lead players, switching various roles with ease. A good example of this is with Nick Wilkes who ends one scene as Eddie's teacher, turns on his heels, his gown is whisked away, the tie loosened and the ruffle of his hair and he is Mickey's teacher, which pleased the full house that were in.

Andy Walmsley's set design had the usual appeal but I am sure that the back drop last time did not show an image of the Liver Building, one of the most iconic buildings in Liverpool. I may be wrong, it may just have attracted my attention this time around. As usual, great set and excellent stage management regarding props being brought on and taken off.

The Sound Design, by Dan Samson, didn't sound as echoey as I last remember, but who cares about a little less echo when the crispness and volume was everything that I love about this musical.

Lighting Design by Nick Richings was exciting and atmospheric, just the way that I like this production to look visually from a lighting point of view.

The soundtrack is also one of my favourites with wonderfully infectious songs like "Marilyn Monroe", " A Bright New Day", the wonderfully jazzy "Long Sunday Afternoon", "That Guy" and of course the iconic "Tell Me It's Not True" all under the musical direction of Matt Malone.

I didn't get the usual hairs on the back of the neck standing up with the start of "Tell Me", but as the crescendo kicked in, those hairs stood to attention!

Even after all the times I've seen this show, there are so many segments that still make me laugh. I still sit there with that same sense of excitement I did when I first saw, and fell in love with this musical. The soundtrack still sounds and feels as fresh as on my initial hearing. For me, this musical is still be my number one favourite. I may even ask for "Tell Me It's Not True" to be played at my funeral to show just how much I love this show.

"Blood Brothers" will be at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 15 July.