Top plaudits for troupe’s latest stage offering

Feb 12 2009 by Our Correspondent, West Lothian Courier

BLOOD Brothers, Willy Russell’s dark powerful stage play, was chosen by the Livingston Players for their latest production.

The play was performed to great acclaim at Deans Community High School from January 28 until 31.

Blood Brothers tells the story of twin boys separated at birth.

Mickey, lives in poverty with his mother and his various siblings, while his twin Eddie has been adopted into a wealthy family, whose mother Mrs Lyons (played by the consistently superb Judith Hutchinson) is gradually revealed to be suffering from paranoia, with disastrous consequences.

Elspeth Smith as the twins’ mother, Mrs Johnstone, gave an absolutely first-rate performance, playing a difficult and challenging role with incredible energy and personality, and bringing authenticity to the character with a spot-on Liverpool accent.

Written in 1986, the story follows the boys from when they are aged seven and first meet up again by chance and, despite their divergent backgrounds, become firm friends.

All the adults who play Mickey, Eddie, their siblings and their friend Linda from childhood to their twenties, do a great job, but particular praise has to go to Alistair Thomas and John Ward who play Mickey and Eddie respectively.

The casting was perfect and their portrayal of the two growing boys was absolutely amazing.

Lynn Hurst, who plays their friend Linda, with whom they are both in love, also gave a sterling and excellent performance.

Willy Russell, who was born in Liverpool in 1947, has written many great stage plays, such as Shirley Valentine and Educating Rita, but none have the impact, or leave the lasting impression of Blood Brothers.

Roger Munday, as the narrator, gave a compellingly powerful reading of Willy Russell’s dark yet also highly humorous script.

The production was gripping from beginning to end but nothing can prepare you for the dramatic twist at the end.

Policewoman Karen Walker, and Jeff Robinson in his various roles, both did a great job and so too did the chorus – Liz Robertson, Andy Smith, Fiona Bartlett and Kate Halliday.

All the roles, large or small, combined to make this a memorable production, but much of the credit must once again go to talented and experienced director John Hutchinson.

The scenery used on the set was just right to set the mood for the play and a mobile, rotating group of three sets was very cleverly done and most effective.

Look out for the next Livingston Players production, Rush! The Stage Musical, which will play in May, and will be the first show in the new theatre at the refurbished Howden Park Centre, Livingston.