Blood Brothers is one of the most successful musicals currently showing in London’s West End. Having captivated audiences since 1988 and still selling out show after show at the Phoenix Theatre on Charing Cross Road, the musical has become one of the longest-running shows ever, and there is no sign of it closing soon. As Blood Brothers is so popular and beloved, it has seen an array of celebrities take to the stage in leading roles, such as singers Melanie C and Kiki Dee performing as Mrs. Johnstone. If you are a fan of any members of the cast or of the musical in general, then it can be exciting to try to meet the cast after a performance, as I did when I met Melanie C in March 2010.
To meet cast members, you will have to find the stage door of the Phoenix Theatre, where Blood Brothers is currently showing, and wait there until the performers exit. The stage door is very easy to find, as it is at the back of the theatre. When you exit the theatre, you will come out of one of two entrances: the main one on Charing Cross Road, or the side entrance on Phoenix Street. Upon exiting on Charing Cross Road, turn left until you see Phoenix Street and the side entrance, and proceed until the end of the street. At the end of the street, take another left into Stacey Street, the road on which the stage door itself is located, and walk until the very end of the street where you will come to a garage door. The stage door will be on your left.
If you are still unsure of how to find the Phoenix Theatre stage door, then view the video below for a guided walk to the door from the theatre:
Once you have found the stage door, you are almost there to meeting some cast members! It can often take a while for some performers to exit the theatre, but most of them do so extremely swiftly. If, however, a big name is playing one of the roles, then they may take longer to leave and barriers may even be put up around the door for fans to gather around, if there are large crowds. When my friend and I met Melanie C after her impressive performance in Blood Brothers, we had to wait for around half an hour before she exited the theatre. She took photos with everyone, signed autographs and chatted for a while before making her way home. It was worth the wait as she was extremely friendly, and it was all the more exciting to see her after she had just finished a fantastic performance.
If you would like to meet any cast member in Blood Brothers, then simply follow these instructions to the stage door. Remember the less famous performers will exit very swiftly after the show, so try to be quick, if you can! The cast of Blood Brothers changes quite frequently, with Nolan sister Maureen performing as Mrs. Johnstone until 22nd January 2011, when former Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton will take over for a limited run until 30th July 2011. Other current cast members include Philip Stewart at the humorous narrator, and Vivienne Carlyle as Mrs. Lyons.