BLOOD BROTHERS RESEARCH

CONTEXT

• Blood brothers is set in 1960s liverpool
• At the time the play was written Margaret thatcher was prime minister and she reduced the powers of the workers union and privatised many publicly owned companies
• As a result is a short term effect was a lot of unemployment
• Mickeys failure even though he worked hard is the main tragedy showing that money and influential connections are necessary for success

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• unlike Margaret Thatcher's belief that success comes to hard workers
• Marilyn Monroe is often referenced through the play. Mrs Johnstone often talks about being compared to Marilyn Monroe and her glamorous side whereas Mickey who ends up on 'nerve pills' is compared to Marilyn Monroe's depression

SOCIAL CLASS

• Mickey and Edward both had very different opportunities in life due to their social class
• Whilst Mickey went to a low quality school and lived in a poor neighbourhood, often getting into trouble with the police; Edward went to a good school with teachers who could see him on the way to an excellent university and grew up in a weather neighbourhood
• As a result of this, Edward went to university and became a councillor and Mickey, desperate and unemployed turned to crime.

NATURE VS NURTURE

• The idea of nature vs nurture is one of the oldest arguments in the history of phycology. It is an argument that suggests our development is predisposed in our DNA, or that a majority is influenced by life experiences and our environment. Since Eddie and Mickey are twins they are expected to be alike, however Eddie is the antithesis of Mickey. Eddie was raised by a wealthier lady in a safer area therefore he is more protected, whereas Mickey grew up the youngest child in a rough poor neighbourhood.

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• Perhaps if Eddie had been raised by Mrs Johnstone his personality would've been completely different. The differences between the two boys is evident throughout the whole play like when Mickey says "y' know, like the 'F' word."
• Eddie: "pardon?" Eddie does not know rude language and he acts and speaks differently to Mickey

FATE AND DESTINY

• Mrs Johnstone dreams about dancing and being compared to Marilyn Monroe as she references her repeatedly throughout the play.
• There is also a strong focus around superstition in the play and that the boys should never find out they're twins or else they'd die. However it's almost destiny for them to meet and fate dir them to come to their unfortunate end
• Some say the boys becoming friends was their fate and destiny. When directing the play, to make the theme poignant we could use flash forwards to the end of the play, flashing lights and a sound effect every time a key moment occurs

PAST PRODUCTIONS

• The play was written to be performed on a proscenium arch stage but it can be performed with different staging
• Although it's originally set in 1960s Liverpool one adaptation set it in South Africa
• There is also a musical and non musical version