Blood Brothers, Darlington Civic Theatre

8:57am Thursday 5th October 2006

TO slightly misquote Mrs Johnstone, "I love the bones of this musical" but new orchestration, a set minus the famous back wall emblazoned with Everton FC graffiti (that must have hurt producer Bill Kenwright) and a beefed up finale certainly tested out a capacity audience.

Lyn Paul, as the pivotal and much picked on Mrs J, was singing so well until she was wrong-footed by the words "he's got a thing for getting blackheads out" and halted the show until audience shouts and the prompt got her out of a tight squeeze. Ms Paul, at 57, is at the top end of a performer playing a single mother of seven from her 20s to late 40s but her realistic tears, as twins Mickey (Stephen Palfreman) and Eddie (Craig Whiteley) lay dead, brought a standing ovation.

Director Bob Tomson tries to add to the dramatic tension by adding X-Factor voting result length pauses to the scene where Mickey and wife Linda (Louise Clayton) argue about his pill-popping to beat depression. Far better and more realistic are the tense moments where Mickey takes Eddie hostage at gunpoint before Mrs J unwittingly makes matters worse.

After a sloppy start, this latest touring version uses Willy Russell's powerful poverty-inspired script and songs to spellbind a new generation of fans. To be honest, I forget how many times I've seen this show... but I'd bloody well go and see it again tomorrow.

Runs until Saturday. Box office: 01325-486555.

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