Blood Brothers UK Tour

You wouldn't be the first! People congratulated Warwick Davis with his new role when Warwick Evans reprised the role, and he found it very amusing.

I have just seen Linzi Hateley as Mrs Johnstone and she was phenomenal! Alison Crawford was on as Linda, and I love her in that role too. The whole cast and band were amazing, it was a top-performance!

Saw this last night in Wimbledon for the first time ever (excluding one of the YouTube bootlegs from about 20 years ago, which I'm sure had many of the same cast).

Back row of the Stalls. A clear view of the bottom half of the stage, which I think is all you need and even better in the second half when a tall chap didn't return.

The seating was strange. Full for the first half of the Stalls, then about 6 completely empty rows, then a party of school children, then the back row (which also had some school children). I'm not sure why people weren't moved forward, or why the theatre didn't proactively consider reseating people who might be disturbed by the children.

To their credit, the children were mostly well behaved. A bit of talking, some rattles, checks of phones etc, but not much worse than any other audience. And the group did say "Excuse me" and "Thank you" when they left during the interval.

You also got the usual laughter from them every time someone swore, and (unfortunately) just before the climatic moment.

As for the show itself. Very good, particularly for Linzi Hateley. The whole plot resolves a bit too much around waving around guns for my liking, but I was relieved when there were only five gunshots fired during the show (and even more so to be near the back). Don't think I'll rush back, but I can see why people like it.

Also surprised that the running time for this is a full three hours (including a couple of extra minutes for a charity talk at the end). Even longer than The King And I. So bear that in mind if you're planning travel.

Oh bloody hell! 9 shows a week! That’s gotta be exhausting especially for Linzi who goes through the emotional wringer at the end of every show. I hope they get paid extra for the extra shows. Not surprised it’s selling ŵell at New Brighton - it’s apparently not on the south coast - but on the Wirral!! Who knew! 😂

They ramped it up for this leg, which has just finished in Oxford. Some people have commented on the same costumes and props being used for many years, but there have been various new items.

I watched on Saturday-night, and it was amazing. Very good energy in the house. I had an aisle-seat on the far stage left, and realised after a while the two seats across the aisle more central stage were free. However, those seats were right in front of two teenage girls I got chatting to before the show, who had only seen (and one performed it) with school. They were so looking forward to it, and they were mesmerized, and on the edge of their seats. So I didn't move as it was a pleasure to watch them get immersed in the story and songs, and I would have ruined their view as I'm quite tall and broad. And after 52 times I kinda know the story anyway, I've been threatened by cast they're gonna put me on one night when they're low in numbers.

Anyway, Josh Capper was on as Mickey, and he did a brilliant job! Of those 52 times I've seen it, I've seen Sean Jones as Mickey 50 times, so it was great to see a different take on the role.

Linzi Hateley keeps drawing me in too, and I do hope she will be back on the next leg.

The tour will start again on 29th January 2019 in Great Malvern.

I add all tour dates I know of onto the events-section of the fan page on Facebook, and I run fanfeed @bloodbrostour on Twitter.


www.facebook.com/groups/393979660775027/

And thanks to fellow boardie Roxie I can confirm she is! Linzi announced it on the radio this evening.

I'm well pleased!

Fabulous! Is there a complete list of tour dates anywhere?

Thanks theatreian, looks like I’ll be off to Malvern for a cheeky matinee at the start of the tour!

Never thought I'd see the day, but Sean Jones, who has played Mickey since approximately 50 B.C., is leaving Blood Brothers.

His last performance will be on Saturday 23 February 2019 in High Wycombe.

I have seen it 54 times, and 50 of those times was with Sean. I will be sad to see him go - his portrayal as Mickey made me realise all was not well in my head, and he has given me invaluable advice and support over the years.

He will be missed by many fans.

More cast-news to follow soon.

Will be sad to see Sarah Jane go, but when you look at her recent tweets, it's not hard to work out where she's going.

Am I right in thinking the Blood Brothers tour runs from August / September to May ish time each year? So maybe they’re just leaving for this year? I know Mark Hutchinson has missed a couple but is still a regular and has been since the invention of the wheel.

Still one of my favourite pieces of theatre, even having seen it scores of times with various cohorts of students over the years, plus several of its early incarnations.

My favourite ever Mrs J was played by Joanna Munro, who understudied the part. She made a terrific Mrs Lyons, but her Mrs J was magnificent.