BLOOD BROTHERS UK Tour Sets New Dates and Venues

Bill Kenwright's legendary, award-winning production of the international smash hit musical, Blood Brothers will continue to tour across the UK with latest dates, venues and casting revealed. The musical returns after a short break with gusto from 26 June to late 2023. Starting back in Norwich, Blood Brothers will travel up and down the country this summer and autumn with further venues to be announced. 

 

Niki Colwell Evans and Sean Jones, will continue to play the iconic roles of Mrs Johnstone and Mickey Johnstone respectively, with Gemma Brodrick stepping into the role of Linda, the “role of a lifetime” for the actress who has been a part of the production since she began in 2019.

 

Niki Colwell Evans first rose to fame in 2007 when she reached the semi-final of series 4 of The X Factor UK mentored by Louis Walsh. After her debut solo single ‘Love Me No More’ in 2008, she went on to play the iconic role Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers at The Phoenix Theatre between 2008-2009 and in 2010 where she received rave reviews from critics. Following on from this she performed in the pantomimes Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (2009-2010) and in Kinky Boots as Trish (UK Tour 2018/21). She played the role of Paulette in the musical adaptation ofLegally Blonde (UK Tour 2012) receiving high acclaim for her performance as Elle’s sassy confidante. Over the years, Niki has toured as a solo singer with pop stars such as Sonia, Lonnie Gordon, Big Fun and Yell. In 2016, she performed at the Queen’s 90th celebrations at Windsor Castle alongside Dame Helen Mirren, Damien Lewis, Andrea Boccelli, Katherine Jenkins, Gary Barlow, Kylie Minogue and many more.

 

Sean Jones continues in the role of Mickey in Blood Brothers. Other stage credits include: Aladdin; Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan; Cinderella; Snow White (UK Tour); Macbeth (UK Tour and Singapore); and Jacqueline’s Wilson’s world premiere of Wave Me Goodbye (Theatr Clwyd). TV credits include: Emmerdale; The Royal Today; and Hollyoaks.

 

Completing the current cast for 2023 is Joe Sleight (Eddie), Danny Whitehead (Narrator) and Timothy Lucas (Sammy), Josh Capper (Neighbour), Paula Tappenden (Mrs Lyons), Tim Churchill (Mr Lyons), Jess Smith (Brenda), Tori Hargreaves (Donna Marie/Miss Jones), Connor Bannister (Perkins), Graeme Kinniburgh (Postman/Bus Conductor), and Nick Wilkes(Teacher/Policeman).

 

Written by award-winning playwright Willy Russell, few musicals have been received with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning Blood Brothers. Considered 'one of the best musicals ever written' (Sunday Times), Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone.  It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (Daily Mail). 

This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening at The Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. The musical has since triumphed across the globe, completing sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, and scooping up four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.  

The superb score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It's Not True. 

Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.  

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. 

  

Willy Russell is undeniably one of this country's leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine. Educating Rita, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two-year run in the West End and was made into a movie starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Shirley Valentine also made the move from stage to screen in an enormously popular film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti. The celebrated on-woman play earned Russell his third Olivier Award and is currently running on the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre until June 2023, starring Sheridan Smith.

Tour Dates

 

Norwich Theatre Royal                                  norwichtheatre.org
Tue 27 June – Sat 1 July 2023                         01603 630 000

Swansea Grand Theatre                                 swanseagrand.co.uk
Tue 4 – Sat 8 July 2023                                   01792 475715

Nottingham Theatre Royal                            trch.co.uk
Tue 11 – Sat 15 July 2023                               0115 989 5555

Hull New Theatre                                           hulltheatres.co.uk
Tue 18 – Sat 22 July 2023                               01482 300 306

Eastbourne Congress Theatre                       eastbournetheatres.co.uk
Tue 25 – Sat 29 July 2023                               01323 412000

 

Cambridge Arts Theatre                                 cambridgeartstheatre.com                 

Tue 1 – Sat 5 Aug 2023                                   01223 503333

 

Venue Cymru Llandudno                               venuecymru.co.uk
Tue 8 – Sat 12 Aug 2023                                 01492 872000

 

Chelmsford Civic Theatre                               chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk
Tue 15 – Sat 19 Aug 2023                               01245 606 505

Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                        marlowetheatre.com
Tue 22 – Sat 26 Aug 2023                               01227 78778

Bristol Hippodrome                                        atgtickets.com/bristol-hippodrome
Tue 29 Aug – Sat 2 Sept 2023                         0844 871 7627

 

Linchfield Garrick                                           lichfieldgarrick.com
Tue 5 – Sat 9 Sept 2023                                  01543 412121

 

Oxford Playhouse                                           oxfordplayhouse.com
Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sept 2023                              01865305305

 

Ipswich Regent Theatres                               ipswichtheatres.co.uk
Tue 19 – Sat 23 Sept 2023                              01473 433100

Guildford Yvonne Arnaud                              yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Tue 26 – Sat 30 Sept 2023                              01483 44 00 00

 

Brighton Theatre Royal                                  atgtickets.com/brighton