Information about the play
Blood Brothers tells the story of the Johnstone twins, Mickey and Eddie, who are brothers separated at birth. In childhood they reunite and become friends, unaware of their relationship with each other or of the consequences this will have.
At the start, Mrs. Johnstone learns she is pregnant with twins and confides in her employer Mrs. Lyons about her fears that she will not be able to support both children. Mrs. Lyons, a wealthy and deceitful woman is unable to have children herself, therefore she persuades Mrs. Johnstone to give up one of her boys with the promise that she will raise him. Then, Mrs. Lyons fires Mrs. Johnstone in hopes of making Eddie all her own, but she is unable to separate herself and Eddie from the Johnstone family or from the lies of the past, leading both families towards a tragic end.
Blood Brothers explore the class differences and the gap between classes through the way both the sons and mothers choose to live their lives. Mrs. Johnstone and Mrs. Lyons are in two very different classes, yet they are unable to avoid each other because of the connection their sons share. The differences in lifestyle, values, and morals of the two families are very obvious. Mrs. Johnstone is a poor single mother, whereas Mrs. Lyons is a wealthy stay at home mother with a husband who is supportive and importantly unaware that Edward is not his child.
Marilyn Monroe is a repetitive motif with in the play. At the start, Mrs. Johnstone tells of her carefree youth, comparing every aspect of her life to that of the blond bombshell. Although beautiful and successful, Marilyn Monroe led a complex life and in many ways brought on her own destruction. This is perhaps a mirror for the Johnstone family and the complexity of their situation.
The main themes within Blood Brothers are social class, poverty vs wealth, family, deceit and power. Unfortunately, for both twins the end was foreshadowed by the narrator right from the start of the play and it was never going to be a positive outcome.
At the start, Mrs. Johnstone learns she is pregnant with twins and confides in her employer Mrs. Lyons about her fears that she will not be able to support both children. Mrs. Lyons, a wealthy and deceitful woman is unable to have children herself, therefore she persuades Mrs. Johnstone to give up one of her boys with the promise that she will raise him. Then, Mrs. Lyons fires Mrs. Johnstone in hopes of making Eddie all her own, but she is unable to separate herself and Eddie from the Johnstone family or from the lies of the past, leading both families towards a tragic end.
Blood Brothers explore the class differences and the gap between classes through the way both the sons and mothers choose to live their lives. Mrs. Johnstone and Mrs. Lyons are in two very different classes, yet they are unable to avoid each other because of the connection their sons share. The differences in lifestyle, values, and morals of the two families are very obvious. Mrs. Johnstone is a poor single mother, whereas Mrs. Lyons is a wealthy stay at home mother with a husband who is supportive and importantly unaware that Edward is not his child.
Marilyn Monroe is a repetitive motif with in the play. At the start, Mrs. Johnstone tells of her carefree youth, comparing every aspect of her life to that of the blond bombshell. Although beautiful and successful, Marilyn Monroe led a complex life and in many ways brought on her own destruction. This is perhaps a mirror for the Johnstone family and the complexity of their situation.
The main themes within Blood Brothers are social class, poverty vs wealth, family, deceit and power. Unfortunately, for both twins the end was foreshadowed by the narrator right from the start of the play and it was never going to be a positive outcome.
Who are we?
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The Narrator: Is the commentator and moral compass
of the story. This character appears not only as the narrator but also as
several minor characters as well.
Mrs. Johnstone: Mum to seven children. She is the birth mother of the twins Mickey and Edward, who are the main protagonists in the play. References made to Marilyn Monroe are about her and she is extremely poor but overall a good mother. Her decision to give away Edward was half-hearted and done under duress but she makes the best of the life that she has. Mrs. Lyons: Wealthy employer of Mrs. Johnstone, she is manipulative and persuasive. She encourages Mrs. J to give her one of the twins. She becomes paranoid and never truly relaxed about having her son as she knows that he could find out her deceit at any time. She is always looking over her shoulder. Mr. Lyons: Minor character and he is unaware of the origin of his son Edward. He is said to be away on business when Mrs. Lyons plots to pretend she is pregnant. Mickey: Main protagonist 1. The poor twin who stays with his mum. Mrs. Johnstone tells everyone that the other twin died. Mickey is rough, streetwise and not very good at expressing his feelings. Edward: Main protagonist 2. He is the twin that was given away to the Lyons family. He is well-educated, posh in his speech and intelligent. He is a complete contrast to Mickey. Sammy: Sammy is one of Mickey’s brothers and is always in trouble. Later in the play he is the cause of Mickey going to prison. He exemplifies the rough, poor and uneducated lower class that the Johnstones belong to. Linda: A childhood friend and latterly in the play the wife of Mickey, who cheats on him with Edward. She isn’t a bad person but the circumstances she lives in lead her to seek more from her life. |