Lyn Paul talks about her role in a classic musical. Philip Key reports

Dec 28 2007 by Phil Key, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WAS just a decade ago that Lyn Paul’s career had a dramatic change of direction. After years of travelling the world as a singer, she suddenly became a stage star.

The catalyst was an offer from Liverpool producer Bill Kenwright to appear in Willy Russell’s musical, Blood Brothers, in the lead role of Mrs Johnstone.

In the intervening 10 years, she has made the role very much her own – so much so that Kenwright reckons she is probably the best Mrs Johnstone.

It is a part she still comes to now and again, including the Liverpool Empire run from New Year’s Eve, taking on the character of the cleaning woman who gives away one of her twins to her posh employer.

As regular fans know – and there are now millions of them – the twins are unaware of their relationship and become pals, but, when the truth emerges, there are tragic consequences, apparently based on the old superstition that parted twins should never discover their true identities.

It remains one of Russell’s most successful shows, first premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse with Barbara Dickson in the Mrs Johnstone part and later equally successful in London’s West End, Broadway and numerous tours.

Lyn has done both London and touring, and after Liverpool will indeed be going back into the capital with it.

She was last in Liverpool 18 months ago in the same show, a city which is very much home to her.

There was a time after marrying a Liverpool club owner that she settled in Liverpool and, while the marriage did not last – “I don’t consider it was marriage,” she has told me – her love for Liverpool remained.

She knew the city from her time singing with the New Seekers, coming second in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with Beg, Steal or Borrow and racking up a pile of hits like You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me and I’d Like to

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3