Another treat for theatre-lovers this September from the Workshop Players

Brotherly bond

By Vidushi Seneviratne

"So did you hear the story of the Johnstone twins?" This is the seemingly random question with which the next musical to hit Colombo, opens. Or as the playwright Willy Russell himself puts it, not exactly a musical, but a play with music.

Come the second week of September, you will not only get to hear the story of Johnstone twins, but experience all their triumphs and tribulations, and their ultimate tragic fate. The latest production of the Workshop Players, Blood Brothers will go on the boards from September 14-23, at the Lionel Wendt, bringing to life one of the longest running, and undoubtedly one of the best loved Broadway productions. And needless to say, going from their past endeavours, the multi-faceted cast of this theatre group will do more than justice to the characters… guaranteed.

According to Jerome de Silva, the Director of the production, “It is a rags to riches story. Set in Liverpool, England, it can be related to any era actually, but we have set in probably in the 70s or 80s. " The story concerns one Mrs. Johnstone, a harassed mother of six, whose husband deserts her while she is pregnant with twins. Facing a dreadful struggle to keep her family fed and clothed, she is persuaded by her employer – the rich and childless Mrs. Lyons – to let her take one of the twins and pass him off as her own. And swearing on the bible, Mrs. Johnstone agrees, on the promise of being able to see him grow up. But due to Lyons' fear that she will at one point reclaim the child, she's then sacked and denied access to her son.

Seven years later, the twins – Eddie Lyons and Mickey Johnstone – happen to meet, and then become best friends, both enjoying and envying each other. In a childish bonding ritual they become "blood brothers." Eventually, Mrs. Lyons' fears get the better of her and she moves her family out to the country, much to Mickey and Eddie's disappointment.

Another seven years pass, and the brothers meet again, and this time spend a few idyllic teenage years in the company of Micky's childhood friend and sweetheart Linda. And as expected, the plot thickens from this point on…

So how come Jerome selected this particular musical to his theatrical repertoire? "I had already seen it here once, and wasn't too impressed with the production. But while in London, quite by chance actually, I got to see Blood Brothers, and absolutely loved it. During the break, I went downstairs and bought every piece of memorabilia I could get my hands on – that was the effect it had on me! And I have kept working on it from 2004, and last year's production Oliver was a stepping stone to this. It's a lovely script, with the playwright composing the music all by himself as well, and I must say the workshop players are thoroughly enjoying themselves!" said Jerome.

Interestingly, superstition plays a vital role in the plot. "There's a huge element of superstition in the story, and this being a country where superstition is a big part of our lives, there are many cultural similarities within the storyline. I feel the audience would relate to this aspect quite well." Lines such as "Shoes upon the table, an' a spider's being killed, Someone broke the lookin' glass, a full moon shinin, an' the salt's been spilled," recited by the Narrator, give us a glimpse of the significance superstition plays in the lives of the characters.

The narrator of the musical plays a huge role. "The narrator represents fate and inevitability. When he comes on stage, it's almost certain that some unfortunate incident is going to take place," says Jerome. The cast will number around thirty, possibly the smallest cast ever, for a Workshop production, according to the Director. Multiple casts will be used for some of the key characters, giving the production versatility and variation, throughout the ten nights. The music director for Blood Brothers is Surein de S. Wijeyeratne.