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As Liverpool enters Capital of Culture year an old favourite returns to the Empire for another rollercoaster ride of emotion.

Opening to the backdrop of Liverpool’s skyline, Blood Brothers begins in the early 1960’s following the story of a single mother cleaning lady forced to give up one her newly born twins for the sake of money.

Having performed to rapturous applause around the world, the ultimately tragic tale of two brothers separated at birth, even now resonates most in its hometown.

The genius of Russell’s writing still shines out, particularly in his depiction of the childhood and teenage world’s of twins Mickey (Sean Jones) and Eddie (Mark Hutchinson).

Lyn Paul, of New Seekers fame, easily assumes the role of Mrs Johnstone and is depicted ageing as the story and years develop.

Sean Jones plays Mickey with a mischievous glint in the eye which is all the more heartbreaking for the way it disappears by the end.

When the play premiered, the underlying setting a city of slum clearances, factory closures, unemployment and despair, was all too real.

A generation on the skyline of Liverpool may be littered with cranes and the city transformed but the Blood Brothers story of friendship, love and tragedy hasn’t dated at all.

Recently voted Most Popular British Musical by New York Times readers, it’s the strong storyline and sheer cleverness of writing combined with the magic of the music, what Russell refers to as ‘hummable’, that have made Blood Brothers a classic.

Twenty five years old it may be but there are people who have seen Blood Brothers time after time and still return to each new showing and, as in this performance, weep and stand to applaud over and over again.