Blood Brothers...

The Play

Commissioned by Paul Harman's Merseyside Young People's Theatre Company for Secondary school children. First performed at Fazakerley Comprehensive, Liverpool in November 1981.

The BBC filmed the first rehearsal of Blood Brothers with the Merseyside Young People's Theatre Company and with Willy Russell in attendance making changes to the script. The film followed the young actors through to the very first performance at Fazakerley Comprehensive School and was later shown as part of BBC schools Education programming. We hope to have footage of this film on the web site shortly.

... Willy had invited me to see a piece he had written for Merseyside Young People's Theatre Company. They were performing in a school hall in Huyton. The audience of school children, given the afternoon off to see the play, were high spirited and amused at seeing this 'studio type' production with actors changing costume and collecting props in full view. Within minutes, however, they were completely caught up and riveted by the play. The play, of course, was Blood Brothers. BOB SWASH

From Play to Musical

Willy spent the whole of 1982 turning the small scale production of Blood Brothers into a full scale musical. Revising the book, writing the lyrics and composing all the music himself.

Blood Brothers opened at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. Produced in association with Bob Swash Ltd and directed by Chris Bond.