Blood Brothers is back on tour and it is finally in Hampshire - the emotional, explosive musical had everyone on their feet at the end of this dramatic tale.
Thousands of pupils study Blood Brothers every year - unfortunately, that wasn't me and I went into Blood Brothers at The Mayflower without any knowledge.
This musical was about to blow my mind, or it would be like GCSE English. Thankfully it was the former and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.
Willy Russell's powerful tale first toured Liverpool schools as a play in the 1980s, the emotional music still draws in crowds of students.
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Walking into a theatre filled with teenagers undoubtedly made some of the audience members nervous, I could hear worried murmurings around me but we should not have doubted the new generation - the haunting tale captured everyone in that audience from the opening scene.
The sombre tone of the musical is instant as we open to two bodies in the shadow of the famous Liver Building - our narrator (Scott Anson) warning us about the cautionary tale of two twins separated at birth.
Blood Brothers is a battle of morals, struggling mother Mrs Johnstone finds herself pregnant and things go from bad to worse when she finds out she is having twins.
Eddie is taken in by the Lyons, a wealthy middle-class family with an abundance of money and opportunity, while his brother Mickey grows up in a loud, crowded council house.
Fate brings the two back together as young children, and then again as teenagers but as fraternal twins, they have no idea they're related. The older they get, the further apart their paths.
What was once a fun, jovial friendship between the two 'blood brothers' turns sour when the pair reach adulthood.
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While Mickey struggles with unemployment and young fatherhood, a path which leads him to imprisonment, Eddie thrives at university and is elected as a councillor.
When both men fall in love with Linda, Mickey's wife and childhood friend, things get violent.
Set in the backdrop of Liverpool in the 1960s, the themes of poverty and class still resonate with the 2024 audience.
Sean Jones was as incredible as Mickey. His stellar performance effortlessly took us through childhood to adulthood - his transformation over the few hours was astounding.
Portraying Eddie on his home stage was Joe Slight, who grew up in Romsey, and matched Jones in terms of brilliance and humour.
Niki Colwell Evans was astounding as Mrs Johnstone, she delivered incredible vocals and emotional acting. Blood Brothers relies on a strong ensemble, but Evans' Mrs Johnstone was possibly one of the best performances I've ever seen.
Blood Brothers has one of the most explosive endings to a musical, the whole audience was reeling.
We all immediately stood up for the bows - a standing ovation that was completely deserved. You need to see this musical while you still can.
Blood Brothers is at The Mayflower until Saturday, March 2 and tickets can be found here.
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