Church Company Stages Blood Brothers Warts and All

Normanhurst Uniting Church Musical Society (NSW) presents the Willy Russell musical Blood Brothers during May 2012, an unconventional and somewhat controversial choice given the company's affiliations.

One of the more unusual problems the production team faced was the language used in the show. NUCMS performs in, and is part of, Normanhurst Uniting Church, and so use of the F-word (which is very prominent in the script) had to be addressed. After discussions with the Church Minister and Congregation Chairman, a decision was reached that has allowed the show to be presented as the author intended – warts and all.

Blood Brothers is, at first, a heart-warming story of Mickey and Edward, twin brothers separated at birth, brought together again through friendship. However, their familial relationship is concealed by their guardians who strive to keep them apart because of superstitious beliefs.

Despite a separation forced by the rehousing of Mickey’s family, their lives continue to intertwine, although the deep divisions between the privileged life of Edward and Mickey’s poverty-stricken existence are wholly apparent.

Willy Russell (who also wrote Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine) originally wrote and presented Blood Brothers as a school play in 1981. Russell subsequently turned the play into a musical, and in 1983 it won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The musical returned to London in 1988, and has been playing ever since, making it one of the longest running musicals in West End history.

NUCMS’ production is directed by Dave Russell and Francis Voon with musical direction by Jeff Fisher. Russell has also stepped in to the leading role of Mickey. No stranger to the roles of directing and performing, he took on the role after the actor originally cast was offered a professional role in the USA. Taking on both roles was a huge challenge for Dave, but with the support of an incredibly cast and production team, and Co- Director Francis Voon, rehearsals continued seamlessly.

Russell is joined by Alex Giles as Edward and Elizabeth Hogan as Mrs. Johnstone. The Narrator is played by Victor Reyes. Other characters are played by Pru Daniel, Rowan Scott, Barbara Sanders, Kent Blackmore, Bek Peterson, Dom Augimeri and Nate Augimeri.

Performances: May 4^th, 5^th, 12^th and 19^th May at 8pm and 5^th, 12^th, 13^th and 19^th May at 2pm at Normanhurst Uniting Church.

Bookings: 9680 1442 or www.nucms.org).

Note: Blood Brothers explores themes and contains language that may offend some patrons. It is not suitable for children under the age of 12.

More Reading

Community Theatre Seasons 2012 - www.stagewhispers.com.au/community-theatre/community-theatre-seasons-2012

More Community Theatre - www.stagewhispers.com.au/community-theatre