David Kramer has adapted Willy Russell’s acclaimed West End smash-hit musical Blood Brothers for South Africa.
This is the first time that Willy Russell has granted permission for his long running musical to be adapted. Russell is a British dramatist, lyricist, and composer. Amongst his best-known works are Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and the hit musical Blood Brothers which opened on the West End in 1983 and ran for 24 years, becoming one of the longest running musicals in London.
The story has a distinctly local flavour with the main characters in the South African production portrayed by exciting young talent – the lead roles are played by Bianca Le Grange (Idols) as Mrs Johnstone, 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Elton Landrew (Boesman & Lena) as the Narrator and 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Dean Balie (Kat and the Kings) as Eddie. In other roles, Ephraim Gordon (Kanna Award – Best Actor 2010) plays Mickey, Carlo Daniels (Kat and the Kings) is Sammy, Buhle Ngaba is Mrs Lyons, Marlo Minnaar is Mr Lyons and making her professional stage debut is Andrea Frankson as Linda. Shadley Schroeder, Junaid Booysen, Lynelle Kenned, Sue Pyler and Monique Rockman complete the excellent line up. Alistair Izobell is the Musical Supervisor, lighting design is by 2012 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award nominee Kobus Roussouw and costumes are by Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Penny Simpson.
Blood Brothers is the story of two brothers separated at birth because of their mother’s desperate financial situation, but brought together again through chance. Kramer’s adaptation of Blood Brothers is set in 1960’s Cape Town, with the two families living in Walmer Estate and District Six. The story follows them into the 1970’s where the families have been relocated to Parkwood and Elfindale.
Says Russell, “I was, understandably, delighted when I learned that producer Pieter Toerien wanted to present my musical Blood Brothers in South Africa. I was further delighted and excited when David Kramer got in touch to say that he strongly believed that for Blood Brothers to be seen to its greatest effect and with maximum impact in South Africa, the musical should be transposed to a South African setting and adapted accordingly.”
Blood Brothers is produced by Pieter Toerien for Theatre on the Bay and Eric Abraham for the Fugard Theatre and is a first time collaboration between the two theatres.
WHEN & WHERE: The season opened in Cape Town on 10 September 2013 at Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay where it runs until 20 October 2013. Performances are from Tuesdays to Fridays at 8pm, on Saturdays at and on Sundays at 4:30pm and 8pm and on Sundays at 3pm.
TICKETS: from R100 to R280 via 0214383300/1, 08619158000 or Computicket.com.
Blood Brothers returns to the Fugard Theatre in February 2014.
