BLOOD Brothers is the Achilles’ heel of musicals, you go in strong but know the heart-breaking tale will lead to emotional weakness.

Yet you leave wanting to go again and again.

The fact Bill Kenwright’s production is still as popular now as when it started touring more than 30 years ago speaks for itself.

Blood Brothers, written by Willy Russell, tells the captivating story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be reunited, by a twist of fate and a mother’s haunting secret.

Manchester’s Palace Theatre is currently hosting Blood Brothers as it reaches the end of its spring tour.

Several veteran performers, who have featured in the musical on a catalogue of its tours, have been reunited and take the sell-out audience on a rollercoaster of emotions from laughing out loud at the scouse wit to sobbing during the devastating final scenes.

Lyn Paul, of New Seekers fame, is perfectly cast as the lead role Mrs Johnstone. Few superlatives can do her performance justice, she is simply breathtaking and at her best. Matthew Craig, an experienced theatre actor, has a haunting presence as the narrator. And Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley, who played Mrs Lyons, perfectly puts the audience in the shoes of a mother traumatised by the secret that she has taken her former cleaner’s son.

The memorable score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and Tell Me It’s Not True.

The scenery is simple but effective. The story tells itself but is complimented by the opening scene of Liverpool’s skyline and twinkling lights and 1960s street scenes with graffiti daubed on the walls.

The fantastic cast had the large majority of the audience on their feet for an emotionally charged standing ovation.

If you’ve not seen it then you simply must. Blood Brothers and this cast is theatre at its best.

Blood Brothers will be at the Palace Theatre until Saturday 26 May.