Rarely has so much exceptional talent been squandered as that which transpired at Theatre Three's production of Willy Russell's (Shirley Valentine) Blood Brothers. Under the disjointed misdirection of Terry Dobson, three of Dallas' finest divas managed to shine in spite of Dobson's focus totally missing the mark. Liz Mikel was superb as the narrator/seer and handled transitions seamlessly. Her stage presence was commanding, and her powerful voice complemented her actions. Sally Soldo as Mrs. Johnstone had a voice equally at ease whether delivering a poignant message or belting a song. .Julie Johnson inhabited the role of Mrs. Lyons with equanimity, escalating into the requisite rage and mad scene when Mrs. Johnstone demanded the return of her now-grown son. Michael Turner was compelling as Mickey. A recent college graduate, Turner showed great potential and exhibited a natural talent well-suited to his role.
Besides the direction, another drawback of this production is Theatre Three's arena stage. Some plays simply do not lend themselves to arena staging, and Blood Brothers, a poignant and riveting play, is one of them. Set in England, Blood Brothers relates the story of Mrs. Johnstone, a woman on the dole, with more children than she can support. As she is threatened by Welfare to have her children taken from her. she secures a job as a domestic with the wealthy Lyons', an infertile couple, and simultaneously learns she is pregnant with twins. Reluctantly, she accepts money from Mrs. Lyons and allows her to take one of the boys. They agree to tell no one. By a strange quirk of fate the boys meet and become best friends and ultimately, blood brothers.
The script is strong and well-crafted, and the tragic ending is fraught with poignancy and irony -- or at least it would have been with a proper rendering under the hands of a skilled director.
