BILL KENWRIGHT LTD’S
MULTI AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION OF
WILLY RUSSELL’S
BLOOD BROTHERS
IS BACK THIS AUTUMN
Bill Kenwright Ltd’s legendary, award-winning production of the international smash hit musical, Blood Brothers continues to tour across the UK with latest dates and venues announced for Autumn 2024, opening on 20 August at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
This autumn will see Vivienne Carlyle returning to the iconic role of Mrs. Johnstone, having received nightly standing ovations for her powerful and poignant performance in the West End production.
Sean Jones and Joe Sleight return to the production as twins Mickey and Eddie, with Gemma Brodrick reprising the role of Linda.
Also returning to the cast for 2024 are Sarah Jane Buckley (Mrs Lyons), Scott Anson (Narrator), Tim Churchill (Mr Lyons),Chloe Pole (Donna Marie), Alex Harland (Policeman/Teacher), Graeme Kinniburgh (Postman/Bus Conductor) and Jess Smith (Brenda), with James Ledsham (Sammy), Ben Mabberley (Perkins) and Dominic Gore (Neighbour) joining the production.
Vivienne Carlyle is an actor and singer with an international career as a musical theatre leading lady and recording artist. As well as her acclaimed previous appearances as Mrs Johnstone in the West End and touring productions of Blood Brothers, her theatre roles have included The Narrator in Bill Kenwright’s long-running production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grizabella in Cats, Mrs Walker in The Whos’ Tommy and Songbird in Cirque du Soleil’s long-running Saltimbanco.
Award-winning playwright Willy Russell’s epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening as a musical at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. It has since triumphed across the globe, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Few musicals have been received with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning Blood Brothers, scooping up four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway. It is considered ‘one of the best musicals ever written’ (Sunday Times). Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.
The superb score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.
Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.
When Mrs Johnstone, a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children she takes a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet. It is not long before her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again – this time with twins! In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer which leads inexorably to the show’s shattering climax.
Willy Russell is one of this country’s leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine. Educating Rita, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two-year run in the West End and was made into a movie starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Shirley Valentine also made the move from stage to screen in an enormously popular film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti, it was also revived last year, completing a sell out West End run starring Sheridan Smith.
LISTINGS
Bill Kenwright Limited presents
BLOOD BROTHERS
2024 Autumn UK Tour
Written by Willy Russell
Directed by Bob Tomson & Bill Kenwright Ltd
Resident Director Tim Churchill
Musical Supervisor Matt Malone
Sound Design Dan Samson
Set & Costume Design Andy Walmsley
Lighting Design Nick Richings
Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (including interval)
Website: kenwright.com
Social Media: @BKL_Productions
TOUR DATES – FURTHER DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Wales Millennium Centre wmc.org.uk
Mon 20 Aug – Sat 24 Aug 2024 029 2063 6464
Pavilion Theatre Rhyl rhylpavilion.co.uk
Mon 28 Aug – Sat 31 Aug 2024 01745 332414
Blackpool Opera House wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
Mon 03 Sep – Sat 07 Sep 2024 0844 770 0593
Embassy Theatre Skegness embassytheatre.co.uk
Mon 10 Sep – Sat 14 Sep 2024 01754 474 100
The Playhouse Weston-Super-Mare parkwoodtheatres.co.uk
Mon 17 Sep – Sat 21 Sep 2024 01934 65544
Edinburgh Playhouse atgtickets.com
Mon 24 Sep – Sat 28 Sep 2024
His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen aberdeenperformingarts.com
Mon 01 Oct – Sat 05 Oct 2024 01224 641122
Eden Court Inverness eden-court.co.uk
Mon 08 Oct – Sat 12 Oct 2024 01463 234 234
Kings Theatre Glasgow atgtickets.com
Mon 15 Oct – Sat 19 Oct 2024
Palace Theatre Newark palacenewark.com
Mon 22 Oct – Sat 26 Oct 2024 01636 655755
Kings Theatre Portsmouth kingsportsmouth.co.uk
Mon 05 Nov – Sat 09 Nov 2024 02392 828282
Darlington Hippodrome darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Mon 12 Nov – Sat 16 Nov 2024 01325 405405
Palace Theatre Manchester atgtickets.com
Mon 19 Nov – Sat 30 Nov 2024
The Grand Theatre Leeds leedsheritagetheatres.com
Mon 03 Dec – Sat 07 Dec 2024 01132 430808