A Review with a Bland Title

Written by: Matt

London's West End is as spectacular as the Broadway in New York. The theatres are large, often there are very intricate designs on the all, and some are over 500 years old! The shows that you can see are very varied. You can see plays, and many of them are spectacular. You can see musicals as well, and these I prefer. Not only can you see a play, but you get to listen to music as well, which is always of the highest standard. In my opinion, the best show that you can go to see is Blood Brothers, Willy Russell's famous musical following the life of two brothers, parted at birth. There's humour, happy songs, but a deep tale of woe and misery underlying the whole play.

The play begins with a misty scene on a street in Liverpool, with four people standing on the stage. Two of these are dead, and beside them stand a man, who takes his role of the narrator, and a woman, Mrs. Johnstone, the mother of these two brothers. After a heart touching start to a song, the Narrator fills us in, that these two people are brothers, twins no less, and that they were born on the same day. This scene ends, and we learn more about the origins, as we hear the recurring song of this musical, Marilyn Monroe. For those of you who don't know, she was a actor who often was seen as the height of glamour and beauty, but her tale, like the one that is shown on the stage, is wrapped in misery as she suddenly dies. Nobody has ever found out the true reason, but many suspect it to be suicide, as in the body, a drug overdose was found. The song compares Mrs. Johnstone's early life similar to this, as a husband marries her for her beauty; however, her beauty sinks as she becomes pregnant with child after child. We continue the story as we see Mrs. Johnstone giving away her child. This is when we hear the show-stopper of the musical, as we also hear the other major theme of the play, superstition, and we hear the Narrator singing "The Devil's got your Number". It's a chilling song, and expertly composed, and it is always sung well. It's just great to hear. The play then follows the life of Micky, the child that Mrs. Johnstone kept. We see him meet with Eddy, the child that Mrs. Johnstone gave away, as they play together. When Eddy's new mum finds out who Eddy's playing with, they move house. Though this seems like a good idea, we hear that the Johnstone family are moving away as well, and when the curtain falls to welcome the interval, we know that something bad's going to happen in Act 2.

Now, I don't want to spoil the storyline for you, but the second act is a lot more depressing than the first. It starts off happy but, as the narrator tells you, life can only continue this way "if we mustn't live in life as well as dreams". When the two friends are 18, Eddy leaves, and Micky marries a girl called Linda, who Eddy loves as well. Linda gets pregnant, and Micky loses his job. Micky is arrested for murder, and Eddy comes back, and everything seems to be going okay, until one day when everything comes falling down. If you want to know what happens, go to see it, and I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy it, if you like that kind of thing. The end is so moving, that even I let out a tear, and when the cast do their curtain call, it is the only time that I have seen a standing ovation when everyone is involved. It's just that good.

So, what makes it so spectacular. I know many people think that the theatre is just an expensive cinema, but it isn't. Going to London is a whole experience. When many of you go to the cinema, I'm sure that you just maybe pop to a restaurant in your local town when you go, if that. Theatre is a day out, as you go to London, you shop, you get pushed and pulled, get lost, and countless other entertaining things. Going to see Blood Brothers on the big screen just wouldn't be as good. The theatre is brilliant, however, because it's live. People make mistakes, and this adds comedy, but the voices are just so much better, with clarity. It's hard to describe, but the theatre is vastly superior to any films. Of course, it isn't only because of the theatre that you should go to see it, it's the play as well which is funny at points, but it also has a very good storyline. The music is perfect, and the voices are so soft and delicate on the sadder songs that they can make anyone cry, but they can sing with emotion and passion on the more fast paced songs.

Brilliant actors and a brilliant play make up a brilliant day out, totally recommended by me.