Musical goes through all emotions

When contrasts between poverty and wealth are combined with superstition and circumstance you have a ripping plot which, when magnificently told, takes the audience of the musical Blood Brothers through all the emotions from humour to grief.

This journey was experienced by a reasonable audience on Thursday March 2 in the Palmerston North Auditorium at Hokowhitu. Put on by Abbey Musical Theatre, directed and musically directed by Barry Jones, this musical written by Willy Russell had seasoned theatre goers, a number of whom are directors themselves, in raptures.

Val Andrews as Mrs Johnstone is no stranger to musical theatre and her beautiful voice in such contrasting songs as the cheerful ‘Marilyn Munro’ and the haunting finale ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’ complemented her acting, which portrayed the anguish and challenges of raising children in poverty and giving away a twin son.

Stars of the show however were the two brothers separated at birth and becoming blood brothers just due to proximity of geography. These lads – Michael Doody and Tyrell Beck – are surely the future of musical theatre in the Manawatu and nationally. You saw them in CATS.

The huge challenges of portraying Mickey and Edward over several time periods from age seven (almost eight) through to their late 20s, was effortlessly managed, the richness of their performances astonishingly real.

Joanne Sale (Mrs Lyons) agonises over her guilt and worries about the future of her son, particularly should the brothers know the truth.

The ensemble, complete with the narrator Samuel Gordon predicting “the price will have to be paid” was energetic and exactly the right size for the smallish stage.

This show deserves full houses every night. Hurry – the season closes on March 18.

(Dave Murdoch)