Blood Brothers: A tale of two siblings

This is the first time that Willy Russell has granted permission for his long-running musical to be adapted.

Blood Brothers is the story of two brothers separated at birth because of their mother’s desperate financial situation, but brought together again through chance. Kramer’s adaptation of the piece is set in 1960s Cape Town, with the two families living in Walmer Estate and District Six. The story follows them into the 1970s, after they have been relocated to Parkwood and Elfindale. It still features the hit score that includes the songs Marilyn Monroe and Tell Me It’s Not True.

The story will have a distinctly local flavour with the main characters in the South African production portrayed by exciting young talent – the lead roles are played by Bianca Le Grange (Idols) as Mrs Johnstone; 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Elton Landrew (Boesman & Lena) as the Narrator and 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Dean Balie (Kat And The Kings) as Eddie.

In other roles, Ephraim Gordon (Kanna Award – Best Actor 2010) plays Mickey, Carlo Daniels (Kat And The Kings) is Sammy, Buhle Ngaba is Mrs Lyons, Marlo Minnaar is Mr Lyons and Andrea Frankson is Linda. Shadley Schroeder, Junaid Booysen, Lynelle Kenned, Sue Pyler and Monique Rockman complete the excellent cast. Alistair Izobell is the musical supervisor, lighting design is by Kobus Roussouw and costumes are by Penny Simpson.

Blood Brothers is produced by Pieter Toerien for Theatre on the Bay and Eric Abraham for the Fugard Theatre and is a first time collaboration between the two theatres.