Blood Brothers
Significant Quotes For Act Two Part 2
'But I don't know how to tell y' ' -After Linda leaves, Mickey expresses his love for Linda, and how he is unable to approach her about it. 'I wish that I could be like, just a little less like me, like the sort of guy I see, like that guy' -Edward and Mickey envy each other; Edward reckons Mickey is more socially adept, while Mickey is jealous of Edward's appearance. 'Are you soft? (He suddenly realises) A blood brother' -Their meeting as teenagers mimics their first meeting, causing them to realise who it is. 'Are you always going to follow me?' -Mrs Lyons, paranoid that Mrs Johnstone is haunting her, confronts her. 'You have ruined me. But you won't ruin Edward!', 'On a punctuated note Mrs Lyons lunges' -Desperate and crazed that Mrs Johnstone is out to doom her, Mrs Lyons attacks her with a knife. 'And who'd dare tell the lambs in Spring, what fate the later seasons bring' -The narrator foreshadows the inevitable fate of the teenagers during the montage. 'If I was the guy, if I was in his shoes' -Edward, again jealous of Mickey's position with Linda, confesses his love to her with refrain. 'See y' at Christmas then, Eddie?' -The twins plan to meet again at Christmas after Edward returns from university.
Significant Quotes For Act One Part 3
'But i'm not playin' now 'cos i'm pissed off' -Mickey is crudely spoken, and knows curse words, a stark reflection of the properly spoken and clueless Edward. 'The dictionary. Don't you know what a dictionary is?' -Edward is the more educated of the two, and contrasts Mickey's streetwise knowledge with academic knowledge. 'See this means that we're blood brothers, an' that we always have to stand by each other' -The pact of a blood brother is born. Their relationship could be said to be cyclic, since it begins with blood and ends with blood. 'Don't you ever come round here again. Ever' -Mrs Johnstone, afraid of Mrs Lyons' threat, warns Edward away. 'You're not the same as him' -Insecure, Mrs Lyons tells Edward to stay away from Mickey. 'Mrs Lyons hits Edward hard and instinctively' -After calling his mother a '**** off', Edward is hit by her, since she is afraid and appalled by Mickey's influence on him. 'It doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game' -The children display that violence is a little thing to them, and through child games the violence will extend into their adulthood.
Significant Quotes For Act Two Part 4
'He's been out for months and he's still takin' those pills', 'I need them...' -Mickey has become addicted to his anti-depressants, making him lose him temper with Linda. 'I'm not stupid, Linda. You sorted it out. You an' Councillor Eddie Lyons' -A spiteful Mickey retorts Edward's involvement to Linda, to make her feel guilty and hand over his pills. 'It's just a light romance, nothing cruel, they laid no plans' -Edward and Linda meet in the park and kiss. They are now in a 'light romance'. 'Mrs Lyons enters and goes to Mickey. She turns Mickey round and points out Edward and Linda to him' -After being paranoid and driven crazy by the boy's interactions, Mrs Lyons out of spite tells Mickey about Edward's and Linda's affair. 'There's a man goes mad in the town tonight, he's gonna shoot somebody down' -The Narrator builds up the tension and the climax for the final scene, while Mickey collects the gun. 'Well how come you got everything... an' I got nothin'?' -Mickey is once again jealous of how Edward is so much better off than him, and how Edward has provided his job and house. Mickey has lost the only thing he had left - Linda - to Edward. He wonders if his daughter is Edward's too. 'Mickey. Don't shoot Eddie. He's your brother. You had a twin brother' -Mrs Johnstone, desperate to stop Mickey, tells the twins. 'You! Why didn't you give me away! I could have been... I could have been him!' -Infuriated by his potential being thrown away by his mother, loses control and shoots Edward, to be gunned down by police himself. 'And do we blame superstition for what came to pass? Or could it be what we, the English, have come to know as class?' -The cynical narrator proposes the question to the audience. 'Tell me it's not true, say i only dreamed it' -The play ends with the first lines of the play repeated back to the audience, finishing the cyclical nature.
Significant Quotes For Act Two Part 3
'Mam. Linda's pregnant!' -When Linda becomes pregnant, social convention dictates that Mickey and Linda marry. 'You've not had much of a life with me, have y'?' -Mrs Johnstone cannot blame Mickey for starting a family, allow she regrets the life she has created for her kids. 'It's just another sign of the times...' -Mr Lyons and Miss Jones hand out redundancies to factories, of whom Mickey is included. Shows the economic turmoil of the time. 'You. You're a dick head!', You don't understand anythin' do y'?' -Mickey, angered by Edward lack of understanding, snaps at him. 'That was kids' stuff, Eddie. Didn't anyone tell y'?', 'While no one was looking I grew up. An' you didn't, because you didn't need to; an' I don't blame y' for it Eddie' -Mickey destroys the childhood between them, since he has been forced to mature with unemployment and a family, while Edward has been free at university. 'I've always loved you, you must have known that' -Edward, rejected by Mickey, encounters Linda, and once again confesses his love for her. Linda tells him she is married to Mickey, and that they can't be together. 'Just keep the eye out for us' -Sammy uses Mickey's poverty to tempt him into being a lookout for the petrol station robbery. 'There's a man lies bleeding on a garage floor' -During the robbery, Sammy accidentally ends up shooting the attendant. 'And maybe, if you counted ten and kept your fingers crossed, it would all just be a game and then no one would have lost' -The narrator ironically echoes the child's song during their games.
Significant Quotes For Act One Part 2
'Mouths to feed. You're expecting twins' -The milkman-turned-gynaecologist informs Mrs Johnstone that she is expecting twins, which she believes she won't be able to afford. 'Surely, it's better to give one child to me.' -Mrs Lyons wanting a child, and Mrs Johnstone unable to cope, tries to convince her to give a baby to her. 'If my child was raised in a palace like this one' -Mrs Johnstone realises that the child would have much better oppourtunities if he were to be a Lyons. 'We must make this a, erm, a binding agreement' -Mrs Lyons uses Mrs Johnstone's superstition against her to ensure her own way. 'I must have my baby' -Mrs Lyons collects her baby from Mrs Johnstone 'He's gone up to heaven, love' -Mrs Johnstone tells her kids that Mickey's twin died. 'No, no, Mrs Johnstone. He's fine' -Becoming jealous of Mrs Johnstone fussing over Edward, Mrs Lyons decides to fire her. 'They say... they say that if either twin learns that the once was a pair, they shall both immediately die' -To keep her away and to protect herself, Mrs Lyons once again uses's Mrs Johnstone's superstition against herself. Dramatic irony is again created since the outcome of the play is exactly as Mrs Lyons unknowingly threatens.
Significant Quotes For Act Two Part 1
'Says I've got legs like Marilyn Monroe' -Halfway through, Marilyn Monroe is referenced again, repeating the beginning of the play and hinting the same events will reoccur. This refers to her romance with the milkman. 'Each day, I pray he'll be ok, not like Marilyn Monroe...' -Mrs Johnstone still things about Edward. Marilyn Monroe at the time had become addicted to drugs and died. 'He produces a knife. To the conductor' -Stage direction showing Sammy's violent tendencies now having serious consequences. 'I just love you! I love you!' -A teenage Linda confessing her love to an awkward Mickey. 'You can take a flying **** at a rolling doughnut! But you shall not take my locket!' -Edward, still showing his influence from Mickey, gets suspended from school. 'When... when were you photographed with this woman?' -Mrs Lyons upon seeing the locket mistakes Mickey for Edward. 'It's just a secret, everybody has secrets, don't you have secrets?' -Edward addressing his mother, creating dramatic irony, since the audience knows exactly what secret his mother has.
Significant Quotes For Act One Part 1
'Tell me it's not true, say it's just a story' -The first lines of the play preview the final scene, letting the audience know their fate and creating a cyclical structure. 'Seven hungry mouths to feed and one more nearly due' -Mrs Johnstone has a large which she is struggling to feed, since she has now separated with her husband. 'We've been trying for such a long time now...', 'Myself, i believe that an adopted child can become one's own' -Mrs Lyons has failed to have a child and wants to adopt, but Mr Lyons wants his own child. Dramatic irony is created when we learn of Mrs Lyon's view of adoption, since the play is about her failure to do so. 'New shoes on the table, take them off...' -Mrs Johnstone is superstitious, which Mrs Lyons mocked her for.
Significant Quotes For Act One Part 4
'They're... they're drawing him away from me' -Mrs Lyons, trying to convince her husband, exhibits her worries that the Johnstones will take Edward back. 'I'm not sure i'd let him mix with the likes of them in the future' -The policeman cautions Mr Lyons to keep Edward away from the working class children. This contrasts his threats towards Mrs Johnstone. 'Just our secret, between you an' me' -Mrs Johnstone gives Edward a locket of her and Mickey, to ensure he remembers them. 'We're goin' away, where nobody's heard of our name' -Upon the news of being rehoused, Mrs Johnstone is happy and thrilled to start a fresh life. Unbeknownst to her, they ultimately won't get a fresh start.
Character Analysis - Mickey
*As a boy he is mischievous, but also sensitive and loving* -He finds Sammy's mischievous behaviour appealing. -He encourages Edward to misbehave as well, by teaching swear words and throwing rocks at Windows. -His mischief is mostly for show, to impress other children, not because he wants to do wrong. -He has a close relationship with Mrs J, his mood is influenced by hers. -He is easily upset by other children. -His sensitive nature makes him more accepting of others, he instantly makes friends with Edward, despite their differences. *As a teenager he is insecure* -He is self conscious about his appearance, saying his hair is 'the colour of gravy' etc. -He lacks confidence around girls. -He also lacks academic confidence, he covers this up by misbehaving. *He lacks opportunities throughout his life* -Russell presents his character as a victim of class divide, as a working class character, he has few opportunities to get a good education and a well-paid job. -He doesn't go to a very good school, and what he learns there won't help him in life. As he is not expected to go to uni. -As an adult, he lacks employment opportunities and when he is fired he cannot find another job as he lacks skill. *His desperation and depression build towards a climax* -By the final scene, Mickey is a rock bottom. -He starts to resent Edward and his lifestyle, calling him a 'kid'. By the final scene, the resentment reaches a climax when he finds out they are twins, he is agonised. -His unemployment makes him feel desperate, he turns to crime to provide for his family. He is most desperate at the end, the 'one thing left in his life' is Linda, but her affair leaves him with nothing. -Mickey becomes emotionally unstable, he alternates between shouting and rambling and has become dependent on his 'pills'.
Imagery and Symbolism
*Becoming blood brothers is a symbolic moment* *Russell uses three main motifs* *The Narrator uses lots of imagery*
Themes - Childhood and Growing Up
*Childhood is presented as a time of innocence* -Russell uses imagery of things like sharing sweets and getting up to mischief to create a sense of a never ending game. -Childhood games don't have consequences , if you die you can simply 'cross your fingers and count to ten', to get up again. -The Children's innocence also acts as a reminder of the adults' problems, E asks why Mrs J can't buy a house 'just like that', emphasises the contrast in their financial situations. -Childhood is not completely carefree though, M's family are often hungry and E doesn't want to move home, he also gets hit. *Growing up is portrayed as divisive and difficult* -Both E + M get self-conscious about their appearance as teens. -They both also find talking to girls difficult, M is pursued by L but cannot find the words to talk to her. -When they are children, L is a friend to both boys, but as they grow up the twins are pushed apart by their feelings for her. -The twins are also divided by their lifestyles as adults, M says that he 'grew up' but E 'didn't need to'. University extends E's youth in a way, but M has to take on adult responsibilities.
Structure
*Cyclical structure* *Action flows continuously with no scene breaks* *Some action is described in stage directions* *Songs* *The play is like a cautionary fairy tale* *Has some features of a classical tragedy*
Themes - Friendship
*Friendships give characters a sense of belonging* -Mrs L doesn't allow E much freedom, but M gives him the childhood he has been missing out on, he even renames E which welcomes E into their friendship. -M usually has to share everything with his siblings, but he has a friendship with E all to himself, giving him a sense of security. -The Narrator says that E,M,L feel 'innocent, immortal' when they are together at 15. *Friendship crosses class boundaries for the children* -When they are little, their social classes mean little , they are accepting of one another. -The Twins admire the qualities in one another that make them different, E wants to 'kick a ball and climb a tree' like M, M wants to 'wear clean clothes'. *The Twins' friendship changes as they get older* -M has power in the friendship as children. He influences E's behaviour, as E admires him. E.g E calls Mrs L a 'f.ckoff', getting it from M. -As adults, E holds influence in M's life. He gets M a house and a job, M resents this, he feels cheated because it is due to class that E could provide this.
Character Analysis - Edward
*Had a privileged but stifled upbringing* -He had a luxurious upbringing, Mrs L provides him with all his wants and needs , which makes him generous and happy to share. -However, Mrs Lyons is very strict, she keeps him 'clean, neat and tidy' and doesn't let him out to play. He is raised to be polite and well-behaved. *Comfortable in middle-class and working-class settings* -In a way, he rejects his middle-class parents for his working-class friends as he goes to Mickey's estate to play, rebelling against Mrs L. -He finds Mickey exciting and fits in quickly with M + L, suggesting he is more comfortable in a working-class environment. -Despite this, Edward still dresses smartly and has stereotypical middle-class interests. *Behaves differently depending on who he is with* -He is more informal around working-class characters, saying 'hi-ya' and 'yeh'. -He is also comfortable in very formal situations, he is well-educated and a good public speaker, demonstrated by his job as a local councillor. -Because of this skill (switching his speech and behaviour depending on the environment), Edward succeeds in a formal career, as well as fitting in with the working-class. *Edward's loyalty is questionable* -He loves Linda but won't ask him out, as he knows Mickey loves her. He selflessly encourages them to get together. However, after he falls out with Mickey, he asks Linda to marry him and later has an affair with her, betraying Mickey. -He's loyal to Mrs J by treasuring the locket, even when he gets suspended for refusing to let a teacher see it. But then, he fails to keep it a secret, as the other school boys know about it, and he gives it Mr L without a fight. -He uses his position to get M + L a house and a job, but he does this behind M's back. *He later becomes naive about working-class problems* -When he returns from uni, he is full excitement, shown by how he repeats about the 'tremendous people' and 'parties. However, this lifestyle has made him naive, he demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of M's situation when he suggests he should 'live like a bohemian'. -As a result of spending too much time in the middle-class world, he has lost touch with working-class issues. *He has opportunities, but his personal life is difficult* -He has a good education and access to books, but he struggles to put his knowledge into practise, e.g how he has 'read about' how to approach girls, but he doesn't have a girlfriend, and in adulthood he still doesn't have a partner. Hah lol. -He doesn't have a close relationship with his parents, his father is always away and does not interact with Edward as a teen or adult at all; his mother even betrays E by telling Mickey of their affair.
Character Analysis - Sammy
*He has a lot of influence over Mickey* -He is the male role model for Mickey, as there is no father. -Sammy can manipulate Mickey's emotions, he gets the other kids to tell Mickey he's 'gonna die' , Mickey takes the threat seriously. -Sammy persuades Mickey into doing the robbery, by using rhetorical questions and tempting him with money. -Despite Mickey looking up to him, Sammy shows no brotherly love, running out on Mickey after they had been caught. *His behaviour becomes increasingly deviant throughout the play* -He 'wee straight through' the neighbour's letter box -> He burns the school down -> He robs the bus conductor at knife point -> He shoots someone during the robbery. -He never matures as an adult. He still calls guns 'shooters', he references the game they played as children, he makes no effort to find work and doesn't take responsibility for his actions. -Represents stereotypical working-class youth at the time.
Character Analysis - The Narrator
*He is an unpleasant presence* -He plays a range of unsympathetic roles e.g the Milkman who says 'no money, no milk' even though Mrs J is pregnant. And also the teacher who humiliates M and threatens to have E 'flogged'. -He is unfairly biased against Mrs J, calling her a 'mother so cruel' even though the story makes the audience sympathetic towards her. -He speaks in a threatening way, repeatedly delivering the ominous line 'the devil's got your number'. Making him seem sinister. *Mysterious character* -Usually dressed in black as if he is going to a funeral, adding to hsi ominous stage presence, especially as we know the twins will die. -He plays many characters in the play, adding to the air of mystery surronding him. The audience doesn't really know who he is. -He is like a ghostly figure, moving in and out of scene without being seen by the characters.
Themes - Identity (Nature vs Nurture)
*Identity is linked to upbringing* Nurture: -M is quite wild, he runs and jumps around 'firing' at Mrs J. This could be because Mrs J gives him a lot of freedom, in contrast, E is well-behaved and polite due to having a strict parent. -E is generous because he's always had everything he wants, he gives M a toy gun and sweets. M is protective of his possessions, because he's had to share everything. Nature: -M and Sammy are raised in the same way, but act completely differently. -E starts to become more like M very quickly, despite how he is bought up. Mrs L notices this and feels like E is 'drawn to' the Johnstones -Russell suggests that nurture is more important, as the twins' adult lives are determined by social class. *Some characters want to change their identity* -Mickey has a monologue where he says 'I wish i was like our Sammy'. -M + E want to be one another, shown in the songs 'My friend' and 'That guy'. -M when revealed that he is brothers with E says 'I could have been him... i could have been him!' , showing that he believes social class is the reason why E is so successful.
Language
*Johnstone family use local speech* *Lyons family use formal language* *Narrator's language sets him apart* *Rhymes can be playful but haunting* *Lots of repetition in the play*
Character Analysis - Linda
*Linda both conforms to and rebels against gender sterotypes* -She has to wait for Mickey to ask her out, but she's open for her feelings about Mickey - she drives the relationship forward. -She becomes a housewife. -She is unable to stop Mickey with the robbery, she has no influence or control over him. -But, she defends Mickey and stands up for him in school, reversal of Gender stereotypes. She is also proactive, and gets Mickey and herself a house and a job. *Linda is torn between Mickey and Edward* -She loves Mickey, but also Edward 'in a way'. However when she gets pregnant, the decision is made for her. This is because at the time, unmarried women who were pregnant were expected to marry the father of the child asap. -Once married, she has to deal with Mickey's jail sentence, drug addiction and depression, this strain pushes her more towards Edward. -The 'girl inside a woman' is desperate to escape the stresses of adult life, she and Edward play like children e.g 'kicking up leaves'. E represents freedom.
Themes - Fate and Superstition
*Mickey and Edward are doomed from the start* -Fate is referred to throughout BB, the play starts with a prologue, where the audience are shown the twins' fate (their death). Throughout the play, the Narrator repeats the line 'The devil's got your number' , to remind the audience of the twins' fate. *Fate repeatedly brings the brothers together* -They keep meeting, despite their mothers' best efforts. -Mrs L moves her family out of liverpool to get away from the Johnstones, but they end up getting rehoused near them anyway. *Mrs Lyons tries to change fate* -She feels that 'something terrible' will happen because of E being linked to the Johnstones. -She tries to prevent E from becoming close to them through bribery (twice), moving away, forbidding E from playing with M and 'pointing out' L + E's affair to M. *Russell shows that superstitious beliefs can be very powerful* -Mrs L knows that Mrs J is v superstitious, she uses this as a weapon to keep her silent. She invents a superstition, that the twins will die if they find out they are related. -However, superstitious belief starts to control Mrs L as well, she is distraught when Mr L puts shoes on the table and is driven mad by her obsession with keeping the twins apart. -The Narrator mentions many other superstitions linked to bad luck, creating a sense of building panic. *Superstition and fate complicate the idea of responsibilty* -In the final scene, the Narrator asks if we should 'blame superstition for what came to pass?'. The threat of superstition is there throughout the play. However, Russell is not saying superstitions are real, he shows that it's people's belief in superstition that is powerful and dangerous. -Fate can also be seen as the cause of the twin's deaths, we have already seen the twins' destiny, so it seems inevitable that they die. However, there are many points at which fate could have been changed if a character had acted differently. E.g, no E+L affair = M not getting mad at E. -The Narrator asks if 'what we, the English have come to know as class' is responsible. Society could be to blame for what happens. However, maybe individual characters could'e taken more responsibility, like if Mr L didn't fire M. *Key Quotes:* Mrs Johnstone, Narrator - 'New shoes on the table'
Atmosphere and Mood
*Narrator is important for creating atmosphere* *Mood is darker in Act 2 than in Act 1*
'Blood Brothers' On the Stage
*Staging is simple but creates tension* *Same Actors play the characters throughout* *Costumes are representative of social class*
Themes - Money and Social Class
*The Johnstone and the Lyonses are from different social classes* -Most important theme in the play, Russell's message is that social class can determine the course of someone's life. -Two contrast stereotypes representing working-class and middle-class : Mrs J who is a working-class woman who 'just manages to get by'. Mrs L who can afford a cleaner, lives in a large house and has a husband who is always away on business. -When the twins meet, the difference in class is reinforced. E has plenty of sweets to offer, which Mickey finds amazing as he is not used to people having extra of something to share. -The twins' lives are very different due to social class, E becomes a local councillor due to his good education, M gets in trouble with the law and cannot find a job due to poor education. *Class is associated with behaviour* -Mickey says he is 'pissed off' and teaches E the 'f-word', by contrast E is polite and well-spoken. -This expectation leads to class prejudice, when the policeman catches the boys misbehaving he threatens and patronises Mrs J, but has a drink with Mrs L and says that E shouldn't mix with 'the like of them' *Different classes have different opportunities* -Russell uses sequential scenes to juxtapose the twins' education, E is shown at a private boarding school. Despite getting suspended, E values his education and goes to uni to get a well-paid job with financial security. M's school is 'all boredom and futility', supporting M's belief that what is taught in school does not provide him with anything useful later in life. He ends up in a menial job , which he loses. -There is already 'talk of Oxbridge' for E, even when he is 14, but M is expected to get a job straight away. *Money is power into the play* -Having money means having power to control others, Mrs L has power over Mrs J as she pays her wages. -Having money also means you can control your own life, Mrs L uses her wealth to persuade Mrs J to give her a baby. -Mrs L can also use money to solve her problems, twice she tries to bribe Mrs to stay out of her life, and she also decides to move her family out of the countryside. -In contrast, the working-class are forced into decisions because of their lack of money. e.g Mrs J cannot afford to keep the twins, the promise of money gives Sammy power over M. -Money may give characters power, but it doesn't bring happiness.
Themes - Violence
*The children's song in Act 1 about violence is repeated again* -'The whole thing's just a game' -The theme of violence is already set early on in the play, M likes to use toy guns, which foreshadows what happens with guns later on. The game the children play also involves a lot of famous characters known for their violent roles in society e.g 'Al Capone'. -The children believe that violence has no consequences, but when Sammy shoots someone at a robbery, M and S end up in jail and the person is dead. *Mrs Lyons becomes more violent* -When E calls her a 'F - ck off', she proceeds to hit E 'hard and instinctively'. Later, she tries to stab Mrs J with a knife, showing how paranoia can lead to violence and madness. *Sammy had always been violent, but becomes more so throughout the play* -He starts off shooting toy guns, but then on the bus to L and M's school, he holds the bus conductor at knife point - a real weapon in contrast to the toy. -At the end of the play, S shoots an innocent man while robbing them.
Themes - Gender
*The husbands are mostly absent but have a lot of influence* -Mr L doesn't appear on stage often, he is away for 9 months on a business trip when the play begins and dashes off for work when reading with E. He doesn't spend much time with his family. -However, he still makes important decisions for the family, her rules out adopting children, he moves the family to the countryside and dismisses his wife's concerns as 'nerves'. -Mrs J's husband walked out on his family, leaving them in poverty, he is never named - suggesting he has completely vanished. -He takes no responsibility for the children, leaving Mrs J to fend for herself. *The two mothers judge themselves against gender roles* -Mrs L is desperate for a child, singing about the stereotypical motherly roles she can't fulfil. She sees herself as a failure of a woman as she is childless. -Mrs J has to fulfil the male role of breadwinner as well as homemaker, but as she cannot support her family financially, she sees herself failing as the role of the 'father'. *Linda becomes like Mrs Johnstone* -She becomes a housewife. -She 'sorted' out a house and an income for her and M.
Character Analysis - Mrs Johnstone
*Trapped by poverty* -Because she is so poor, she is old before her time. 'Aged thirty but looks more like fifty' -She lacks control over her life because of poverty : When she became pregnant, she had no choice but to marry Mr Johnstone. This made her financially dependent on a man who then walked on her. Mrs Lyons manipulates her into giving up Edward. She had no say in being rehoused by the council. -She is easily influenced making her vulnerable. -She also makes some irresponsible decisions, e.g. ordering things from catalogues and then getting repossessed. *She is superstitious, making her vulnerable* -It has a big impact on her life, it separates her from Edward. She instantly believes the superstition Mrs Lyons invents , which gives Mrs Lyons power over her. -She worries about the consequences of ignoring superstitions. *Compassionate, but struggles to control her children* -Openly loving 'I love the bones of every one of them' She 'cradles' Edward and often hugs Mickey. -Understanding She forgives her children for wrong doing. She guesses which film the twins want to see. She knows about Mickey's feelings for Linda. -Her forgiving approach may not always be appropriate as her children are out of control. *Optimistic despite the problems she faces* -She dreams of a better life for herself and her children, this gives her motivation in giving Edward away. -Her positivity is shown when she moves away, when she thinks she can 'begin again' and leave ehr bad reputation.
Character Analysis - Mr and Mrs Lyons
*Wealthy but unhappy* -Mrs Lyons is desperate for a child, she emphasises how empty her 'rather large' house is without children. -Her desperation makes her very idealistic. -In reality, Mrs Lyons finds motherhood difficult and smothers Edward and is over-protective. -Many of her insecurities are caused by the fact that Edward isn't hers, making her paranoid. *Mrs Lyons is very manipulative* -She exploits Mrs Johnstone's belief superstition and poverty to persuade her to give up a child. She says that her children may be put 'into care' if she keeps the twins, and makes up a superstition to stop her telling anyone of the boys. -She fires Mrs J to stop her bonding with him, showing how she is prepared to hurt them to get what she wants. -She lies to her husband throughout the play, she adopts a child behind his back. And takes his money to pay Mrs J. -She reveals Edward and Linda's affair, she puts her own agenda before Edward's happiness. *Mrs Lyons changes in the course of the play* _At the start of the play, Mrs L is in control. She dominates Mrs J and gets what she wants. -Mrs L struggles to control her anger when Edward swears, hitting him 'hard and instinctively'. -She becomes paranoid about Edward and Mickey , she wants to move away. -She is driven mad by fear and tries to stab Mrs J. -Mrs Lyons initially believes that 'an adopted child can become one's own'. However, she feels she never managed to change his identity. *Mr Lyons is a stereotypical middle-class man* -He priotises work, and sees the house as his wife's 'domain'. -He has little empathy for his workers. -He suggests his wife has stereotypical female problems, like the 'depression things'.
Summary of Act Two, Part 1 - Skelmersdale
7 years later, both twins end up living in Skelmersdale. Linda and Mickey are on the bus, when Sammy threatens the conductor with a knife and goes to prison. Edward is suspended from boarding school for having the locket, and Mickey and Linda are suspended from school for disobedience. Key Song(s): Entr'acte / Marilyn Monroe, Part 2 (Mrs Johnstone)
Summary of Act, Part 3 - The Twins Meet
About 7 years later, Mickey, uneducated but streetwise, meets the educated yet clueless Edward. They become blood brothers. Mrs Johnstone and Lyons warn them to stay away from each other, but they continue to play together. The working class children are seen playing a violent game together. Key Song(s): July 18th (Mickey, Edward), Kids' Game (Mickey, Edward, Linda, Kids)
Summary of Act Two, Part 4 - The Twins Die
After Mickey is released, Linda gets a new house and a job from Mickey, with the help of Edward, a local councillor. Mrs Lyons, seeing Edward and Linda kiss, tells Mickey, who goes to the town hall to confront Edward. Mrs Johnstone tells the boys they are brothers, when Mickey loses control and accidentally shoots Edward. The police kill Mickey as a result. Key Song(s): Marilyn Monroe Part 3 (Mrs Johnstone), Light Romance / Madman (Narrator, Mrs Johnstone), The Council Chamber (Narrator), Tell Me It's Not True (Mrs Johnstone)
Summary of Act Two, Part 2 - The Twins Meet Again
Mickey and Edward, jealous of the other, realise they know each other, and become best friends again. Mrs Lyons, seeing the boys together again, confronts Mrs Johnstone, paranoid she is stalking her, and attacks her with a knife. Mickey, Linda and Edward meet up, and a montage shows them growing up from 14 to 18. Edward reveals his love for Linda, but encourages Mickey to ask her out before leaving for university. Key Song(s): That Guy (Mickey, Edward), Summer Sequence (Narrator),
Summary of Act Two, Part 3 - The Twins Drift Away
Mickey and Linda get married because Linda is pregnant, when he loses his job and goes on the dole. Edward returns from university. Frustrated and angry at Edward's immaturity, the twins fall out. Edward asks Linda to marry him. Despite Linda having feelings for him, she remains married to Mickey. After being involved in an armed robbery where Sammy killed someone, Mickey goes to prison and is put on pills for depression. Key Song(s): One Day in October (Narrator), Take a Letter Miss Jones (Mr Lyons, Miss Jones, Doleites, Narrator), The Robbery (Narrator, Sammy, Mickey)
Summary of Act One, Part 4 - The Families Move Away
Mrs Lyons wants them to move away to escape the Johnstones, but fails to convince Mr Lyons. It takes Linda and Mickey getting Edward in trouble with the police to convince him to move. Edward says goodbye to Mrs Johnstone, who gives him a locket with a picture of her and Mickey. The Johnstones and Linda get moved out of Liverpool. Key Song(s): Gypsies In The Wood (Mickey, Edward, Mrs L, Narrator), Long Sunday Afternoon / My Friend (Mickey, Edward), Bright New Day (Mrs Johnstone, Mickey, Sammy),
Summary of Act One, Part 1 - The Scene is Set
The play opens to the final scene of the two dead twins on stage. It then jumps 20 years prior to Mrs Johnstone singing about how her husband has left with 7 kids, and is pregnant again. She is working as a cleaner for the Lyons, of whom are childless, despite attempts. Key Song(s): Overture (Mrs Johnstone, Narrator), Marilyn Monroe (Mrs J)
Summary of Act One, Part 2 - The Agreement
When Mrs Johnstone finds out she expected with twins, Mrs Lyons arranges with Mrs Johnstone that one of the twins will be hers, since Mrs Johnstone won't be able to cope, and Mrs Lyons wants a child. After the twins are born, Mrs Lyons takes Edward. Tired of Mrs Johnstone fussing over Edward, Mrs Lyons fires her to keep her and Edward separate, paying her £50 and warning her that if the twins learn they are separated, they will die. Key Song(s): My Child (Mrs J & Mrs L), Easy Terms (Mrs J & Mrs L), Shoes Upon the Table (Mrs J, Mrs L, Narrator)
