Blood Brothers Essay

Blood Brothers’ is the story of two twins from a poor family in Liverpool. One of them is given away and they are forced to live apart, but somehow fate always brings them back together. The play is built upon the theme of the superstition that if twins are separated at birth then they will die on the day that they discover that they are twins. This theme is reinforced throughout the play by the words of the narrator to keep the audience thinking about what will happen. The first time we see the theme of superstition is when the narrator first begins to speak and he says: â€Å"So did you hear the story of the Johnstone twins? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. How one was kept and one Given away†¦.. Never knowing that they shared one name till the day they died†¦ † Willy Russell thought that the working class people were more superstitious in contrast with the middle and upper classes. I think this is because they were usually more religious than the upper classes. An example of there superstition is when Mrs Lyons places a pair of new shoes on the table and Mrs Johnstone says: â€Å"New shoes on the table’ take them off†¦. Never put new shoes on the table†¦.. You never know what’ll happen. † During the play Willy Russell explores class difference in great detail, showing how it can determine your chances further on in life. He also explores this theme in his other plays such as ‘Our day out’. In ‘Blood Brothers’ he does this by contrasting the backgrounds that the two boys are brought up in. Mickey, the twin who was kept, was brought up in a working class background with little money and spoke with a broad scouse accent and used slang terms. Whereas Edward was brought up in a family who had a car, a nice house and plenty of money. This meant that he would be able to get a good education and had many opportunities available to him in life. Throughout the play both women attempt to keep the twin apart, but somehow they always end up back together and ironically they make a pact to become ‘Blood Brothers’. Mickey and Edward are always trying to be like each other; Mickey wants to have a nice house, lots of money and a good education where as Edward wants to be able to do what he wants and not be spoilt like he is now. The playwright’s use of dramatic irony builds up drama and tension as the audience know that Mickey and Edward are really brothers and not just ‘Blood Brothers’. This makes the audience feel like they are part of the secret and helps them create a bond with the characters. This keeps the audience interested because they want to find out what is going to happen to them. The difference in class became more apparent during Edward and Mickey’s adulthood, when Eddie goes to university while Mickey is has to struggle to provide a living for his family. The playwright was quick to emphasise the high unemployment rate at the time the play was set and concerns that people faced. Because he was brought up by a single working class parent and had always struggled for money, Mickey lacked a father figure and this may have influenced his decision to help his brother, Sammy, during the robbery. Mickey’s role in the robbery triggers a huge change in his behaviour and also during his time I prison he becomes depressed and gets addicted to the anti-depressants he is prescribed, because of this Mickey’s wife, Linda, talks to Eddie and asks him for advice, and Mrs Lyons tells Mickey of this relationship because she wants them to argue and fall out so that they never find out that they are brothers. I think that at this point the audience would sympathise with Mickey because he has always had a bad life and know he has been told that his wife is seeing Edward. This event spurs Mickey on to seek revenge against Edward because he fells betrayed by him and Linda. An example if this is when Mrs Johnstone says to Linda:- â€Å"Mickey†¦ Mickey’s got a gun†¦ † Linda then realise where Mickey is going and she says:- â€Å"Mickey?†¦ Eddie?†¦ The Town Hall† One of the techniques that Russell uses to create drama in the play is by adding a narrator who intervenes several times during the events of the play. The role of the narrator is to emphasise the superstition of the twins and to keep the audience interested. An example of this is when the narrator sings: â€Å"Yes, the devil he’s still got your number†¦ he wants to speak to you†¦ seen him leanin’ on your door. † This builds up the drama because of Mickey’s unstable nature it will prepare the audience for events to come at the end of the play. Another example of this is when the narrator sings the song ‘madman’. As he repeats the lyrics over and over the suspense would build and also the theme of superstition is also repeated and reinforced. Also by using pulsating music the drama and tension is heightened. â€Å"There’s a man gone mad in the town tonight, He’s gonna shoot somebody down†¦.. Devil’s got your number†¦.. he’s callin’ you up today† This would remind the audience that there is a price to pay for separating twins; it will also reinforce the superstition of twins. I also think that it tells the audience that something important is going to happen. The final scene in the play is set in a very public place, the town hall, and there are councillors and other people there as well as Edward. This shows that Mickey’s mind is unstable and that he doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions because he fighting a private battle in public. This would also be used to heighten the drama in the final moments of the play. When Mickey enters onto the stage he has a gun held two handed because his hands are shaking so much. Then somebody stood next to Edward realise the reality of the situation and screams. This would add drama and tension to the scene and it would also show the audience that Mickey is a very real threat. For this final scene the use of stage directions is very important. Willy Russell has added pauses in areas of high tension so that the audience would be eager for the rest of the scene and the tension would grow, he also added pauses, along side the language and actions used by the characters in the play. By adding ellipsis into Mickey’s speech it would show the audience that he can’t even control what he is saying. He also uses the theme of guns throughout the play and I think this may have been a hint as to how the play ends. Mickey’s past encounters with guns and violence may be the reason he went so far over the edge that he threatened to shoot Edward. When Mickey and Edward were children they used to play shooting games, but know this is no longer a game. When Mickey tells Edward that he has stopped taking the pills I think that it is significant because it would tell Edward and the audience that Mickey is not thinking straight and that he is not in control of his action. It also shows that the only way Mickey can react is with violence. The use of dramatic irony throughout the play is one of the main themes but it is probably this scene where it is most important. The fact the audience know that Mickey and Edward are brothers is ironic because they don’t know themselves. It is also ironic that Mickey thought they were ‘Blood Brothers’ and has made the connection that they are both the sons of Mrs Johnstone. When Mickey says:- â€Å"Friends! I could kill you†¦ We were friends weren’t we? Blood Brothers, wasn’t it? Remember? † It would tell Edward and the audience that Mickey’s idea of a friend is built around a childish pact. The language Mickey uses is very basic and he talks in short sharp sentences. When Mrs Johnstone makes a dramatic entrance on to the stage she rushes to Mickey and Edward, who are stood just yards apart, and she tells them the truth about who they are, this is followed by the shooting of Mickey and Edward. The fact that Mickey and Edward are just yards apart would create drama because Mickey is out of control and has a gun and Edward is defenceless. When Mrs Johnstone had told her sons that they were brothers Mickey realises what sort of life he could have had and who he could have been. This made him feel uncontrollable rage towards his mother and this would have made the audience think that he may shoot Mrs Johnstone. By telling her two sons they were brothers Mrs Johnstone has caused both her sons deaths when she actually thought she was helping the situation. The final song and music would create a deep sadness in the audience and make them feel sorry for Linda and Mrs Johnstone’s loss. They would also be sad for Mickey who hasn’t had a very good life, they would feel sad for Edward because he hasn’t done anything to harm anyone and yet he gets shot. This would confirm in the audiences mind the superstition that if twins are separated they will die on the day they find out the truth. I think that will was successful in creating drama and suspense throughout the play but I think he could have increased the tension at the end of the play by introducing Mickey and Edwards real father into the scene and perhaps Linda getting killed by Mickey as well as Edward. By adding another character it may make the audience think that Mickey will become even more confused and this may lead to the death of other characters.