Helen Hobson
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Helen Hobson has taken over as Mrs Johnstone in the long-running Willy Russell musical
Blood Brothers at the West End’s Phoenix Theatre, with Steven Houghton now playing the Narrator.
Hobson comes direct to Blood Brothers from Mamma Mia!, in which she played Donna, a mother who marries off her young daughter. Her Blood Brothers role finds her in matriarchal form once again, playing the mother of twin boys. She has previously played the role of Mrs Johnstone on a UK national tour of this production, and also that of Mrs Lyons in its previous run at the Albery Theatre.
As the West End’s current Mrs Johnstone, she follows in the footsteps of Kiki Dee, Petula Clark, Siobhan McCarthy, Carole King, Helen Reddy, Stephanie Lawrence and Bernie, Linda and Denise Nolan.
Houghton’s previous West End credits include appearances in Children of Eden, Cats, Hot Mikado, Martin Guerre and Spend Spend Spend, for which he was Olivier nominated. He has also appeared in national tours of Grease, Miss Saigon and Annie Get Your Gun.
Also in the current cast are Jay Roberts and Joe Fredericks, (as the twins Mickey and Eddie respectively), Joanne Zorian as Mrs Lyons, Debbie Eden as Linda, Stephen Pallister as Mr Lyons, Michael Southern as Sammy, Adam Teddler as PC/Teacher, Simon Turner as Perkins, Amy O’Neill as Donna Marie, Alex Harland as the bus conductor, Emma Nowell as Brenda and Michael Everest as Neighbour. Directed by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright, the production is now in its 17th year at the Phoenix Theatre, but has been playing in the West End since 1988 in its current incarnation, having begun its life at the Albery (now Coward Theatre).