Le monde des musicals

Le rideau s’ouvre sur une veillée funèbre : les corps de deux jeunes garçons reposent…
Tout a commencé il y a une vingtaine d’années, le jour où Madame Johnstone, mère célibataire de sept enfants, apprend qu’elle est enceinte de jumeaux. Face à sa détresse, Madame Lyons, son employeuse, qui ne peut avoir d’enfant, lui propose un pacte secret : elle prendra Edward, Madame Johnstone gardera Michaël et personne ne devra connaître le lien unissant les deux enfants.
Sept ans plus tard, Mickey et Eddy se rencontrent par hasard et scellent leur complicité en devenant "frères de sang". Les deux mères déménagent pour briser cette amitié qui leur rappelle le pacte originel. Mais les deux garçons ont un destin commun et vingt ans d’amitié "fraternelle" ne suffiront pas à éviter la tragédie finale…

1 Blood Brothers peut-être considéré comme un Top musical

updated version of the 1844 novella The Corsican Brothers by Alexandre Dumas, père

1981: Play)
Commissioned by Paul Harman's Merseyside Young People's Theatre Company for Secondary school children. First performed at Fazakerley Comprehensive, Liverpool in November 1981.
The BBC filmed the first rehearsal of Blood Brothers with the Merseyside Young People's Theatre Company and with Willy Russell in attendance making changes to the script. The film followed the young actors through to the very first performance at Fazakerley Comprehensive School and was later shown as part of BBC schools Education programming.

1982: From Play to Musical
Willy spent the whole of 1982 turning the small scale production of Blood Brothers into a full scale musical. Revising the book, writing the lyrics and composing all the music himself.

1983: Liverpool & London 1
He then developed the musical for a production at the Liverpool Playhouse, in 1983, starring Barbara Dickson and Andrew C. Wadsworth. Produced in association with Bob Swash Ltd and directed by Chris Bond. From it's hugely successful Liverpool production it transferred to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, where it became the musical hit of the season, winning three awards for its author/composer and one for its leading actress/singer Barbara Dickson.

1987: UK Tour
Blood Brothers had a year-long national tour beginning in 1987, produced by Bill Kenwright (and directed by Kenwright and Bob Tomson).

1988: London 2
This tour was leading to a revival at the Albery Theatre, opening on 28 July 1988 and closing on 16 November 1991. The original cast included Con O'Neill, who, as Mickey, won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in 1989.

1991: transfert to London 3
The musical transferred to the Phoenix Theatre on 21 November 1991, where it is still running.

Acte I
Overture – Orchestra, Company and Narrator
Marilyn Monroe – Mrs. Johnstone and Company
Marilyn Monroe (Reprise) – Mrs. Johnstone
My Child – Mrs. Johnstone and Mrs Lyons
Easy Terms – Mrs. Johnstone
Shoes Upon The Table – Narrator
Easy Terms (Reprise) – Mrs. Johnstone
Kids' Game – Linda, Mickey and Ensemble
Bright New Day (Preview) – Mrs. Johnstone
Long Sunday Afternoon/My Friend – Mickey and Eddie
Bright New Day – Mrs. Johnstone and Company

Acte II
Entracte – Orchestral piece
Marilyn Monroe 2 – Mrs. Johnstone and Company
The Devil's Got Your Number – Narration
That Guy – Mickey & Eddie
Shoes Upon the Table (Reprise) – Narrator
I'm Not Saying A Word – Eddie
Miss Jones – Mr Lyons, Miss Jones and Company
Marilyn Monroe 3 – Mrs. Johnstone
Light Romance – Mrs. Johnstone
Madman – Narrator
Tell Me It's Not True – Mrs Johnstone

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Blood Brothers