A group of people gather at the scene of a human tragedy unfolding in the long shadows of the Liver Building.

Kneeling among them is a world-weary housewife with a terrible secret whose plea of Tell Me It’s Not True hangs like a ghost in the night air.

The emotionally-charged opening and closing scenes bring to a full circle Willy Russell’s morality tale of two brothers separated at birth. Set in 1980s Liverpool, it’s a story of poverty, class and the devastation of unemployment, but beneath the surface lie universal issues of love, loss, fate and destiny.

Mrs Johnstone is a working-class mother getting by on the ‘never never’, plagued by bailiffs and superstitions. Once she gives one of her twin babies to a wealthy childless couple, her fate is dealt and the tension rises until the dramatic climax.

The show’s power lies in its simplicity, and designer Andy Walmsley’s atmospheric set created the feel of downtown Liverpool with a series of doorways and balconies against a striking city backdrop.

I’ve seen several actresses play Mrs Johnstone and each brings something new. There was an endearing vulnerability beneath Lyn Paul’s tough cookie and her fabulous singing voice was beautifully showcased in numbers such as Easy Terms and My Child. Earthy humour flashed throughout, especially in the early lighter scenes with adults playing the neighbourhood gang of children.

Sean Jones was terrific as Mickey, transforming from bright, cheeky scamp to a pill-popping shell of a man, locked in despair. Great performances too from Paul Davies as his twin, Eddie, who grew up with private school and a ‘bike with two wheels’, Kelly-Anne Gower as sweet Linda and Robbie Scotcher, holding it all together as the Narrator.

A cracking production that had a packed audience on its feet. Runs until Saturday.