A STANDING ovation filled the auditorium as the cast of Blood Brothers took a bow on their successful opening night.

Originally written by Willy Russell, this musical sensation has been to the West End, Broadway, and toured around the UK and internationally.

Currently being performed at Theatre Royal Windsor, the story follows Liverpool mother Mrs Johnstone who is struggling to pay the bills after her husband leaves her.

Pregnant with twins, she agrees to give one to a rich family she housekeeps for, the Lyons.

After giving birth, one twin, Mickey, is kept by Mrs Johnstone and the other, Eddie, is kept by Mrs Lyons.

Raised in different households completely unaware they are related, the mums do everything in their power to keep Mickey and Eddie apart.

Slough Observer:

X Factor star, Niki Evans, does a tremendous job in reprising the role of Mrs Johnstone, after previously performing in London’s West End.

Her vocals are second to none and her performance is so authentic it’s hard not to shed a tear when she sings her solo songs, including the iconic ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’.

And Sean Jones, returning to the part of Mickey, portrays the character perfectly as he grows up throughout the play.

His onstage relationship with Joel Benedict, playing Eddie, is truthful and they show a great connection with each other.

Slough Observer:

It would have been great to have The Narrator, played by Robbie Scotcher, having more of a distinct character as there was clearly more of an underlying meaning to him.

That being said, his strong vocals were carried throughout the show.

And credit also goes to Daniel Taylor for his incredible performance as the role of Sammy.

Taylor captured the gross, disturbing character traits of Sammy perfectly and his dedication to the role is most impressive.

Directors Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright do a sterling job at using the cast to their full potential in the scenes where most characters are on stage.

There could have been more use of stage directions in the smaller scenes, particularly the ones with just Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons, played by Paula Tappenden.

Despite these very minor points, overall, the whole cast are outstanding from start to finish, their energy onstage is electric and it's most definitely one to watch.

This heartfelt masterpiece is the perfect balance of comedy mixed with sinister and emotional moments too.

No matter how many times it comes back on tour, it always brings audiences to tears.

This latest tour is a real treat to start off 2022 and it’s clear to see audiences loved it.

The production runs until Saturday, January 29 before it heads off to its next venue.

For more details, visit the Theatre Royal Windsor website.