International smash hit musical Blood Brothers announces its 2018 tour, opening on Tuesday 16 January at the Theatre Royal Bath. This iconic musical has been visiting theatres across the country throughout 2017 in celebration of its 30th anniversary, performing to sell-out houses and receiving standing ovations.
Critically acclaimed actress and singer Lyn Paul returns to the seminal role of Mrs Johnstone, following her first performance back in 1997. Hailed as ‘The definitive Mrs Johnstone’ (Manchester Evening News), Lyn has played the role on numerous UK tours and also starred as Mrs Johnstone in the final West End performances at the Phoenix Theatre in 2012.
Lyn first rose to fame in the early 1970s as a member of the New Seekers. She was the featured vocalist on their 1972 Eurovision Song Contest entry, ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’, in which they came second and lead vocalist on the 1974 number-one hit ‘You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me’. Among the group’s other works, they recorded the song ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’, adapted from an advertising jingle for Coca-Cola, which sold over 20 million copies and still remains one of the 100 best-selling singles in the UK. She has also starred in the UK tour of Cabaret in 2013 as Fraulein Schneider, in Boy George’s musical Taboo and in Footloose – the Musical.
This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981 before opening at the Liverpool Playhouse 35 years ago in 1983, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Blood Brothers also ran in London’s West End for 24 years, exceeding 10,000 performances, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.
Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be reunited by a twist of fate and a mother’s haunting secret. The memorable score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.
When Mrs Johnstone, a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children she takes a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet. It is not long before her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again – this time with twins! In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer which leads inexorably to the show’s shattering climax.
BLOOD BROTHERS – SPRING 2018 TOUR DATES
Tuesday 16– Saturday 20 January Theatre Royal, Bath
Tuesday 23 January – Saturday 3 February Grand Opera House, Belfast
Tuesday 6– Saturday 10 February Playhouse Theatre, Weston Super Mare
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 February Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 February Darlington Hippodrome
Monday 5 – Saturday 10 March Edinburgh Playhouse
Monday 12 – Saturday 17 March Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Monday 19 – Saturday 24 March Rhyl Pavilion
Monday 26 – Saturday 31 March Carlisle Sands Centre
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 April Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple
Monday 9 – Saturday 14 April Hall for Cornwall, Truro
Monday 16– Saturday 21 April Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton
Monday 30 April – Saturday 5 May Regent Theatre, Ipswich
Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 May Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Tuesday 15 –Saturday 26 May Palace Theatre, Manchester
