Review: Blood Brothers ***

At Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Tears, cheers and a standing ovation brought a happy ending to opening night in Bradford for the cast of Blood Brothers.

The actors, who had worked so hard, looked pleased, though surely not surprised. This much-loved musical mixes gritty Northern reality with humour and pathos and regularly rouses the audience to its feet.

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Written by Willy Russell, the show is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is still going strong in the West End and the regions. This success has confounded some because Blood Brothers is not a razzmatazz musical, but the magic lies in Russell's captivating story.

Set in Liverpool in the 1960s, it reveals how twins come to be separated at birth. Mickey stays with his working-class, single mum, Mrs Johnstone, and Eddie grows up in a middle-class household. As their lives unfold and fate brings them together, it is clear that the drama will end in tragedy.

Bill Kenwright's production translates Russell's package brilliantly and gives it the actors it deserves.

A left-field choice was Lyn Paul, who, having never acted in her life, wrote to Kenwright asking for an audition.

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He first gave her the role of Mrs Johnstone in 1997 and has declared her one of his favourites, and rightly so.

Best known for teaching the world to sing with the New Seekers, she is magnificent as Mrs J and her rendition of Tell Me It's Not True is heart-breaking. She's the star of this show, along with Sean Jones, as Mickey, who has some of the funniest lines that help lighten the night with some laughs.

But be warned, by the end of the night you may need a hanky. If you don't get to see it tomorrow in Bradford, Blood Brothers is back in its spiritual home at the Liverpool Empire in April.

To March 20.

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