Last updated 14:16, Thursday, 30 October 2008

Acclaimed singer and West End star Marti Webb stars in the award-winning musical Blood Brothers in Carlisle next week.

Hit: Marti Webb as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers

Her career spans five decades and appearances in some of the biggest musicals of the West End, but this is her first appearance in this raw slice of Liverpool life.

It tells how twin boys are separated at birth, only to be reunited by a twist of fate and their mother’s haunted secret.

Marti plays Mrs Johnstone, the mother who is forced through poverty to give one of her twins away.

She replaces Linda Nolan who had to withdraw due to ill health and two weeks into a tour that stretches into December, she is loving it. The show comes to Carlisle’s Sands Centre on Monday for a full week. Marti said: “It is just so good, it is a fantastic play with music.”

She first came to prominence in the 1960s as Ann in the original London production of Half a Sixpence opposite Tommy Steele.

She also played Nancy in the first UK tour of Oliver!

She has appeared in Godspell, Cats, Song and Dance and Annie and played Eva Peron in Evita twice.

During her years in showbiz, the 63-year-old has seen major changes in how musicals are produced and written. Now shows are as likely to be based around a string of hit records, such as Buddy or Mama Mia, as a well-known novel or story.

And the lead roles could well be taken by someone who has won a reality TV show.

“Good luck to anyone if they get the chance, the real test is whether they stay around,” she said. “People will go because they want to see the show or the people in it, I don’t think it makes much difference who is in it or how the show is written, as long as it puts bums on seats.”

Despite her countless hit shows, Marti remains best-known for the made-for-TV musical Tell Me On A Sunday and admits she was amazed by its success.

The album of the show reached number one in the charts and the single Take That Look Off Your Face reached number two.

“I just did not expect it to go quite the way it did.

“Then it became (the hit musical show) Song and Dance.

“We just did not believe it would do what it did, not because the piece was bad, it was superb, but it was shown on BBC Two and was up against the football.”

Tickets priced £18.50 to £28.50 are available at www.thesandscentre. co.uk online or by calling 01228 625222 or the 24-hour ticket line on 08448 472276.