WILLY Russell’s Blood Brothers has received many awards, with 2017 marking 30 years since Bill Kenwright’s production first toured the UK. 

Its recent UK tour, stopping for the 10th time at the New Theatre, Cardiff, was packed for its opening night and proved why the musical deserves its brilliant reputation. 

Beginning as the show ends, with the tragic death of both brothers, the show cleverly unravels the heart-breaking story of two twins separated at birth, with one being raised by a wealthy family and the other by a poor family. Despite their differences, they can’t help but keep running into each other, which inevitably causes their doom.

Throughout, the story is cunningly narrated by Dean Chisnall, who is a constant reminder to the ‘blood brothers’ on stage of the fate they have in stall for them. 

The audience watch as the twins Mickey, Sean Jones, and Eddie, Mark Hutchinson, grow up from children, to teenagers and then to young adults. The performance of these characters was believable throughout and the creativity with costumes was brilliant. 

Mrs Johnstone, Lyn Paul, played an outstanding role as the twins’ mother, where you really sympathise with her feelings. There were many tears in the audience with her last performance of the iconic song Tell Me It’s Not True. 

This family show contains something for everyone – humour, drama and romance – and will absorb you from the start until the very end.