REBECCA STORM ANNOUNCED FOR BLOOD BROTHERS
REBECCA STORM ANNOUNCED FOR BLOOD BROTHERS
Bill Kenwright’s award-winning production of the international smash-hit musical Blood Brothers continues its record-breaking tour into 2026, captivating audiences across the UK and Ireland. The beloved musical will return to the Millennium Forum for a limited run beginning Tues 17th February.
Taking centre stage as Mrs Johnstone is Ireland’s own musical theatre legend, Rebecca Storm. Renowned for her powerful performances in Chess, Evita, Les Misérables, and The Streisand Songbook, Storm brings extraordinary depth and emotional resonance to the role—a character she first portrayed over forty years ago to critical acclaim and has since reprised throughout the years.
She has said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be returning to the role of Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, especially here in Ireland where the show has always held a special place in my heart. I’ve had the privilege of playing this incredible character several times over the years, and each performance feels as powerful and moving as the first. I can’t wait to share this unforgettable story with Derry audiences once again.”
Written by award-winning playwright Willy Russell, few musicals have been received with such acclaim as the multi-award-winning Blood Brothers. Considered 'one of the best musicals ever written' (Sunday Times), Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, and it has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical’, as inevitably it “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval” (Daily Mail). The production has also achieved global success with sell-out seasons in the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. It has won 4 awards for Best Musical in London and received 7 Tony Award nominations on Broadway.
This epic tale of Liverpool life started as a play, performed at a Liverpool comprehensive school in 1981, before opening at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1983. In March this year, Bill Kenwright’s production returned to the city of its birthplace for a two-week run marking the 100th anniversary of the Liverpool Empire Theatre, in a record-breaking season.
The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It's Not True.
Blood Brothers tells the moving tale of twins separated at birth, who grow up on the opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with tragic consequences.
Willy Russell is one of this country's leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine. Educating Rita, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two-year run in the West End and was made into a movie starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Shirley Valentine also made the move from stage to screen in an enormously popular film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.
Blood Brothers performs at the Millennium Forum from Tues 17th to Sat 21st Feb 2026. Tickets are now on sale from the Box Office. Telephone 71 264455 (option 1) or visit millenniumforum.co.uk for bookings.
ENDS