Blood Brothers to Open Autumn 2025 Tour at Milton Keynes Theatre 🎭
- Theatre
- 2 min read
Blood Brothers tells the powerful and moving story of twins separated at birth, who grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to be reunited later – with heartbreaking consequences.
Vivienne Carlyle leads the cast as Mrs Johnstone, a role for which she earned standing ovations every night during her West End run and has continued to receive widespread acclaim since joining the national tour last year.
Returning as the ill-fated twins, Mickey and Eddie, are Sean Jones and Joe Sleight, with Gemma Brodrick once again reprising her role as Linda.
Making a welcome return to the production after time away are Kristofer Harding as the Narrator, Paula Tappenden as Mrs Lyons and Danny Knott as Perkins.
New to the cast for the Autumn 2025 tour are Michael Gillett (Sammy), Francesca Benton-Stace (Donna Marie/Miss Jones), and Latesha Karisa (Brenda).
Also continuing with the tour are Tim Churchill (Mr Lyons), Dominic Gore (Neighbour), Alex Harland (Policeman/Teacher), and Graeme Kinniburgh (Postman/Bus Conductor).
Written by the award-winning playwright Willy Russell, few musicals have been met with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning Blood Brothers. Hailed as “one of the best musicals ever written” (Sunday Times), Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End and has become affectionately known as the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (Daily Mail). The production has also enjoyed worldwide success, with sell-out seasons in the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. It has won four Best Musical awards in London and received seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.
This extraordinary tale of Liverpool life began as a school play at a Liverpool comprehensive in 1981, before opening professionally at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. In March this year, Bill Kenwright’s production returned to its birthplace for a special two-week run, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Liverpool Empire Theatre with a record-breaking season.
The show’s unforgettable score features Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe, and the emotionally charged anthem Tell Me It’s Not True.
Willy Russell remains one of the UK’s most celebrated contemporary dramatists, with other renowned credits including Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine. Educating Rita, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two-year West End run and became a hit film starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Shirley Valentine also made a successful leap from stage to screen, with a hugely popular film adaptation starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.
