Theatre: Fun revival of Russell’s pseudo-sibling saga

Fans of populist politics and popular entertainment will not fail to be moved

Danny Taylor and Sean Jones in Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers

Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin

Runs until April 8

Willy Russell’s musical Blood Brothers opens with a slow air of impending doom. As the Overture teases us with the themes of Russell’s synthesised rock-pop score, the Narrator (Dean Chisnell) introduces a plot worthy of ancient Greek tragedy, or indeed its contemporary counterpart, the soap opera.

Blood Brothers charts the fate of twin brothers who are separated at birth when their impoverished ...