“Blood Brothers” began life in 1981 as a short play written for a small touring company, specialising in performances for schools. It debuted as a full musical in January 1983 and over the last forty years, has become one of the most popular and successful musicals of modern times, repeatedly wowing audiences throughout the UK, and across the world. So, four decades after its première at Liverpool’s Playhouse Theatre, does this modern masterpiece still have the power to deliver…?

Judging by the standing ovation and multiple curtain calls at the end of this evening’s rousing, riveting performance, the answer to this question is a resounding, emphatic ‘Yes’. And perhaps this should come as no surprise. Willy Russell’s much-loved tale is a tragic fable of twins separated at birth, whose lives diverge on different paths, yet remain inextricably and fatefully entwined. It is a simple yet gripping nature-v-nurture story of life on different sides of the class divide, and one which clearly resonates with a modern audience in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Russell’s preoccupation with the inequalities of the social class system pervades much of his work; “Blood Brothers” understandably therefore, feels just as relevant and important today as it was then.

I am privileged to have witnessed both Maureen Nolan and Lyn Paul playing Mrs Johnstone, both of whom became synonymous with, and excelled in, this iconic role. But the outstanding Niki Colwell Evans delivers in the same lead with a powerful and emotionally-charged performance. She brings warmth and wit to the play’s lighthearted moments, but her delivery of the more emotional musical numbers is impressive: “Tell Me It’s Not True”, the show’s closing number will, I guarantee, bring tears to your eyes, and goosebumps to……well, everywhere else. Many of the current cast have a long association with this particular play, and it is easy to see why. Sean Jones is born to play Mickey, Joe Sleight and Olivia Sloyan skilfully complete the other two sides of the play’s tragic triangle, but a special mention must go to Danny Taylor, who stepped in this evening to memorably reprise his longstanding role as Sammy. All four actors successfully achieve the difficult task of convincingly playing both child and adult roles, capturing and contrasting the joyfulness and innocence of youth in Act One with the more grown-up themes and grim socio-economic realities of the second half.

Russell himself says writing and staging a play is an “ongoing, organic process”, but actually little has changed in forty years of “Blood Brothers”, largely because change is not needed. This is a play which, quite rightly, sells itself. Subtle tweaks and variations to the musical score add a freshness to some of the numbers, but ultimately the considerable success of this wonderful show lies in the beguiling power of the story, and in its telling, for one generation to the next. It is, according to Russell, “the musical that’s loved by people who hate musicals”. So whether you are a fervent fan who, like myself, loves repeated performances, a teenager studying the play for this summer’s GCSE English Literature exam, or perhaps someone who just enjoys (or hates) musical theatre at its very best, I defy anyone not to enjoy, and be profoundly moved by, this timeless and extraordinary show, one which has rooted itself firmly into the cultural landscape of our times.