Blood Brothers

*Blood Brothers*
Blood Brothers
Music	Willy Russell
Lyrics	Willy Russell
Book	Willy Russell
Basis	The Corsican Brothers by Alexandre Dumas
Productions	West End (1988); Broadway (1993)
Awards	Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical (1983)

Blood Brothers is a musical. The book, lyrics, and music were written by Willy Russell. It is one of the longest running musicals in history, with the performance running since its original 1988 West End production. It opened on Broadway on 25 April 1993 at the Music Box Theatre. It closed on 30 April 1995 after 840 performances.

The musical has a main theme of nature vs. nurture; where two twins have been separated at birth. The twins different backgrounds are shown through class,wealth and social status. This continues showing the extremes in British society by one twin becoming an University graduate and the other being stuck with money and home problems. Both fall in love with the same girl, Linda, and end up dying on the same day, as the narrator tells you at the start of the performance.

Over the years the musical has been changed to suit the director. Some changes are that:

Micky kills Edward
The Police kill Micky
More Actors added
Changed songs

Musical Numbers

Act 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 – Sammy, Linda, Mickey and Ensemble
Gypsies In The Wood – Narrator
Shoes Upon the Table – Narrator
Bright New Day (Preview) – Mrs Johnstone
Long Sunday Afternoon/My Friend – Mickey and Eddie
Bright New Day – Mrs Johnstone and Company

Act II

Entr'acte – Orchestral piece
Marilyn Monroe 2 – Mrs Johnstone and Company
The Devil's Got Your Number – Narrator
That Guy – Mickey and 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 and Company

References

↑ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 1-36.
↑ Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 37-70.

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[1] Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 1-36.

[2] Russell, Willy. Blood Brothers. London: Samuel French, 1985. 37-70.