Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell is a 1983 play with music that tells the compelling story of twin brothers separated at birth because their mother cannot afford to keep them both. One of the twins is given away to the wealthy Mrs Lyons and they grow up as friends, unaware of their true relationship, until an inevitable quarrel unleashes a bloodbath.

Following its premiere at the Liverpool Playhouse, the musical has been produced globally and enjoyed a decades-long run in London’s West End. It has also extensively toured the UK, captivating audiences with its poignant narrative and musicality.

This revised Student Edition includes a commentary by Rebecca Hillman, providing accessible and vivid insights into the play and the context in which it was written, viewed through a 21st-century lens. It helps us appreciate the play today and highlights how groundbreaking Blood Brothers was at the time, in its representation of working-class lives on stage and its explicit critique of the British class system.