Bill Kenwright’s multi award-winning production of Blood Brothers has announced its casting for the upcoming autumn UK tour, which opens at the Playhouse Theatre, Weston-Super-Mare on Tuesday 8 September 2026, alongside further dates for a 2027 spring tour.
Vivienne Carlyle returns to the role of Mrs Johnstone, having previously earned nightly standing ovations for her rendition of the show’s finale song, Tell Me It’s Not True. Carlyle will also perform the number at the 10th anniversary of Magic at the Musicals at the Royal Albert Hall on 20 September, with the concert set to be broadcast later on Magic Radio. She’s joined by Sean Jones and Joe Sleight, continuing as the twin brothers Mickey and Eddie, with Kristofer Harding reprising the role of the Narrator between Weston-Super-Mare and Chester, before handing over to Richard Munday from Birmingham to Northampton.
The tour also welcomes Tricia Adele Turner as Mrs Lyons and Beth Danher as Linda, alongside new cast members Jamil Abbasi (Neighbour), Sarah Moss (Donna Marie/Miss Jones), Amelia Poggenpoel (Brenda) and Jack Anthony Smart (Perkins). Returning to the production are Tim Churchill (Mr Lyons), Michael Gillette (Sammy), Alex Harland (Policeman/Teacher) and Graeme Kinniburgh (Bus Conductor/Postman).
Written by Willy Russell and hailed as “one of the best musicals ever” by the Sunday Times, Blood Brothers tells the story of twins separated at birth, growing up on opposite sides of the tracks before a fateful reunion leads to tragedy. Kenwright’s production has surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, earning the nickname the “Standing Ovation Musical,” and has toured to sell-out audiences across the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.
Following its opening week in Weston-Super-Mare, the autumn tour continues to Cambridge, Oxford, Chelmsford, Grimsby, Chester, Birmingham, Leicester, Crawley and Malvern, before concluding the year in Northampton. The 2027 spring tour begins at Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion on 12 January, taking in Southampton, Dartford, Sheffield, Cardiff, Blackpool, Manchester, Leeds and more, before concluding in Shrewsbury on 22 May.
Casting for the spring leg is yet to be announced.
Plan your visit to Blood Brothers
- Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including interval
- Autumn tour: Weston-Super-Mare (8–12 Sep), Cambridge (15–19 Sep), Oxford (22–26 Sep), Chelmsford (29 Sep–3 Oct), Grimsby (6–10 Oct), Chester (13–17 Oct), Birmingham (20–24 Oct), Leicester (27–31 Oct), Crawley (10–14 Nov), Malvern (17–21 Nov), Northampton (24–28 Nov)
- Spring 2027 tour: Southend (12–16 Jan), Southampton (19–23 Jan), Dartford (26–30 Jan), Sheffield (2–6 Feb), New Brighton (9–13 Feb), Cardiff (16–20 Feb), Eastbourne (23–27 Feb), Woking (2–6 Mar), Blackpool (9–13 Mar), Norwich (16–20 Mar), Billingham (23–27 Mar), Skegness (31 Mar–3 Apr), Torquay (6–10 Apr), Manchester (13–24 Apr), Croydon (27 Apr–1 May), Bath (4–8 May), Leeds (11–15 May), Shrewsbury (18–22 May)
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