This has to be one of the most powerful stories on the modern stage: from the dramatic opening scene it pulls no punches and tugs at the heartstrings.

That such a tragic story can also be great entertainment, full of humour, pathos, bravery and social comment is down to the writing talents of Willy Russell, who unusually is responsible not just for the story but also the music and the lyrics.

It needs actors who can pull out big performances, night after night, and this cast has them aplenty: Maureen Nolan sings mum-with-a-heart Mrs Johnstone with passion, verve and a fantastic voice, Sean Jones and Mark Hutchinson as twins Eddie and Mickey vie to outsing each other in their duets (we thought Sean had the upper hand on Monday’s opening night) and Tracy Spencer, as desperate mother Mrs Lyons, is superb.

But the standout has to be Kristoffer Harding, a newcomer to Blood Brothers, which is apparently one of those shows that actors themselves love, stay with for years and happily return to. Charismatic, wolfish, stuffed with stage presence and with a voice which can ooze menace and drip charm on alternate lines, he is simply terrific. His devilish rendition of Shoes Upon the Table sent shivers down the spine right from the start, with its promise of dark things to come and final descent into madness.

I saw this over 20 years ago and it’s still relevant, because issues like the longing for a child, the drive of mothers to do what they think is best for their children, the angst of growing up and making friends, the misery of unemployment and depression and the power of love just don’t date.

My daughter, who didn’t know the story, was similarly captured and particularly liked the way the show’s main numbers repeat throughout the drama, written so cleverly that the emphasis shifts each time to a different line in the song as it illustrates a different facet of the story.

A few problems in the first half with the balance of sound between the band and the cast were quickly ironed out, and the massively moving final number wrung tears from more than one audience member. It runs until Saturday.