Willy Russell’s hugely successful musical Blood Brothers is set to close this October following more than two decades in the West End.
The much-loved show will come to an end at the Phoenix theatre on 27 October after more than 10,000 performances, making it the third longest running musical ever to play in the West End.
Russell’s multi-award-winning production tells the story of Liverpudlian twins who are separated at birth and taken to different ends of the social spectrum, before later being reunited by a twist of fate with heart breaking consequences.
First written as a school play, Blood Brothers transferred from the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983 for a short run at the Lyric theatre. Five years later the current production opened at the Albery theatre (now the Noël Coward) before transferring in 1991 to the Phoenix theatre where it has resided since.
The multi-talented Russell wrote the book, lyrics and music for the production, penning the now classic score which includes songs Tell Me It’s Not True, Marilyn Monroe, Shoes Upon The Table and The Devil’s Got Your Number.
Famous faces to grace the Phoenix theatre stage in the show over the years include Barbara Dixon, Antony Costa, Kiki Dee, Melanie Chisholm, Niki Evans, Lyn Paul and, most recently, Marti Pellow.
As well as an Olivier Award-winning London run, the acclaimed musical has also played on Broadway and across America.
Blood Brothers fans shouting Tell Me It’s Not True at the news will be pleased to hear that a spokesperson for Bill Kenwright Ltd, the production company behind the hit, said: “This is the end of a chapter, but by no means the end of Blood Brothers.” Theatregoers will also have the chance to catch the song across the UK as the current nationwide tour continues into 2013.