Willy Russell Blood Brothers.

Willy Russell Blood Brothers

Introduction to the Play
Blood Brothers Act One Lesson 1: Author and Setting

Willy Russell Willy Russell was born in Liverpool and grew up in a working class family. After leaving school with only one O level, he became a hairdresser and ran his own salon before trying his hand at a variety of jobs, including writing songs which were performed in local folk clubs. He also contributed songs and sketches to local radio programmes. At 20 years old, he returned to college and became a teacher in the Toxteth area of Liverpool and two years later his first play, Blind Scouse, was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival.

Setting Willy Russell never refers to a specific time in Blood Brothers but we can assume that the play begins in the late nineteen fifties and ends in the early eighties. It is significant that the play is also set in Liverpool. At the time the city was predominately working class which meant many families were struggling with unemployment and poverty.

Setting Continued… We KNOW this is when the play is set because events in the play correspond with major social and political happenings of that time. For example, at the end of Act One the Johnston’s are rehoused by the council from Liverpool to Skelmersdale. Such population migration from inner-city slums to New Towns happened across Britain during the 1960s.

Mickey’s unemployment during Act two places later events in the late nineteen seventies or early eighties as factory closures and mass unemployment swept through many British towns at this time. This period in history which is known as the Thatcher era, was an extremely difficult time in history with thousands of families struggling to cope with job cuts. Although Willy Russell wants to entertain the audience he also wants them to think about life in England and in particular Liverpool, during this time. Setting…

Setting… Although Willy Russell wants to entertain the audience he also wants them to think about life in England and in particular Liverpool, during this time.

“ When the mines closed it was more than just losing my job. My dad was a miner and my Grandad before him. They took away all I knew.” (William Melvey 1982) “ I never really thought that it would happen. But it did. having to start from scratch at 56 when I should have been winding down was soul destroying” (Anonymous)

Check your understanding
Do you think that Willy Russell had a good education as a child? Explain your answer. What social class was Willy Russell brought up in? What period of history does the play span? Can you think of any reasons Willy Russell may have for setting the play in Liverpool? What happened to families living in the inner city slums of Liverpool in the 1950s and 60s?

Lesson 2: Social and Historical Context
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Act One Lesson 2: Social and Historical Context

Blood Brothers Objectives: To learn about the social and historical context of the play.

Liverpool At the turn of the twentieth century (1900) Liverpool was one of the world’s richest cities. Trade with the British Empire flowed through its port and brought with it great economic growth. But as the Empire declined so did the fortunes of the city and by the second half of the century (the setting of Blood Brothers), Liverpool was deep in economic recession. The once bustling docks had fallen derelict and unemployment swept through the city plunging thousands of households into poverty. Crime increased, housing conditions worsened and drug use became widespread.

Poverty At the beginning of the play we learn that the Johnstone family are very poor. In the opening scenes Mrs Johnstone reveals that she is an unemployed single mother and we see her struggling to pay her bills (I start a job next week. I’ll have money comin’ in an’ I’ll be able to pay y’) and provide for her family (‘Ey Mother, I’m starvin’ an’ there’s nothin’ in’). Her children are on ‘free dinners’ and lack discipline. At the beginning of the play Mrs Johnstone does find a cleaning job but her wage is low and barely enough to live on. For the majority of the first act the Johnstones live in what would be a cramped ‘back to back’ terraced house in Liverpool’s inner city slums.

Social and Historical Context
Can you complete the following sentences? Blood Brothers is set in… The city was once… But as the British Empire crumbled… The decline of the city brought hardships such as… The Johnstone family are… They live in… Life is difficult because…

Introducing Mrs Johnstone
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers 3 Introducing Mrs Johnstone

Mrs Johnstone Objectives:
To understand how Willy Russell creates characters through dialogue and action.

Characterisation: Blood Brothers
Mrs Johnstone Read the opening scenes of Blood Brothers. What is your first impression of Mrs Johnstone? Consider the stage directions, Mrs Johnstone’s actions and gestures and the dialogue she uses.

Mrs Johnstone What are your first impressions of Mrs Johnstone? Look at the list of words below. Find five words that best describe Mrs. Johnstone. Loving ruthless rich gullible brave happy heartless caring superstitious manipulative selfish struggling

What Mr Johnstone says / does
Mrs Johnstone Look at the things Mrs Johnstone says and does in the opening scenes. What is revealed about her? What Mr Johnstone says / does suggests What it shows “look, next week I’ll pay y’” shows “We got married at the registry an’ then we had a ‘do’”” Mrs. Johnstone struggles to feed her family “We’ll live like kings, like bright young things” “never put new shoes on a table”

Write a paragraph explaining the word choices you made.
Write it up Your work so far about Mrs Johnstone will describe aspects of her personality. Where did those ideas come from? Playwrights create characters through stage directions, dialogue and action but do you know exactly what these things are? 12th October 09 Mrs Johnstone My first impression of Mrs Johnstone is that she is… Write a paragraph explaining the word choices you made.

Sentence Starters To help you write about Mrs. Johnstone you could use some of the sentence starters below: 12th October 09 Mrs Johnstone The first thing we notice about Mrs Johnstone is... Her conversation with the milkman suggests that… The way she speaks shows that… The lines spoken by her children tell us…

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers 4 Mrs Lyons

Mrs Lyons Objectives: To learn how Willy Russell introduces the character of Mrs Lyons to the audience

Characterisation: Mrs Lyons Read the next few scenes of
Blood Brothers. What are your first impressions of Mrs Lyons? Consider the stage directions, the character’s actions, interactions and dialogue.

Mrs Lyons What are your first impressions of Mrs Lyons? Jot down words or phrases to describe her.

What Mrs Lyons says / does
Read the opening scenes of Blood Brothers and this time pay close attention to the character of Mrs Lyons. What Mrs Lyons says / does suggests What it shows “We thought children would come along” shows “Oh it seems such a long time…he’ll be back in about five months’ time.” Mrs Lyons does not believe in superstition “Mrs Johnstone, with two more children how can you possibly avoid some of them being put into care?” Mrs Lyons is wealthy

Contrasting Characters
Blood Brothers Blood Brothers 5 Contrasting Characters

Objectives: To learn how Willy Russell contrasts the character of Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone

Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons
Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons are contrasting characters. How many examples of contrasts can you find? Mrs Johnstone Mrs Lyons Working Class Middle Class

Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons
Below are some ideas that show how the characters contrast. Mrs Johnstone Mrs Lyons Working Class Middle Class Gullible Manipulative Seven children Childless Poor Rich Kind, caring and thoughtful Mean, selfish Hard but busy, dramatic life Empty, lonely life Struggling single parent Has security and marriage

Willy Russell uses 3 main techniques to create characters.
Consolidation Willy Russell uses 3 main techniques to create characters. Stage Directions Dialogue Action Look out for these techniques as we are introduced to new characters in the play.

Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons
Using your knowledge of the characters of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons write a paragraph explaining how Russell presents the characters of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons to the audience. You could use some of the sentence starters on the next slide to get you up and running. 12th October 09 Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons are very different…

Contrasting Characters Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons
What have you learned already about Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons? Below are a few sentence starters to help with your paragraph: 12th September 09 Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons The first difference we notice about Mrs Johnstone is... Mrs Johnstone is…whilst Mrs Lyons… The way they speak conveys to the audience that… The way they act towards one another gives us an insight into their relationship…

Character as Archetype
The fact that Mrs Johnstone doesn’t have a first name suggests that she is less an individual and more defined by her status in society. Mrs Johnstone has a very low social status. She is a working class, single mother with a large number of children which she struggles to control. As such she represents a social group that is often much maligned by society, the single parent, living on benefits with a large number of children. At the beginning of the play the Narrator describes Mrs Johnstone as having ‘a stone in place of her heart’ representing the attitude towards single parents by some sections of society. Yet the Narrator suggests that the audience should ‘judge for yourselves’ and Mrs Johnstone is presented to the audience, according to the stage directions, ‘aged thirty but looks more like fifty’. The reason for her premature aging is revealed in her opening song ‘we went dancing’ in which she describes the story of her life so far. In contrast to her current appearance we learn that once she was young, happy and ‘sexier than Marilyn Monroe’. She met her future husband at a dance, became pregnant, got married and three months later had her first child, Darren Wayne. Three months later she was pregnant again and by the age of twenty five when she had seven children and another on the way her husband left her for a younger woman. We see at the start that Mrs Johnstone is struggling. She cannot pay the milkman and her children complain of being underfed yet she appears optimistic, believing that the cleaning job she is due to start will give them enough money to ‘live like kings’.

Point, Evidence, Explain
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers 6 Point, Evidence, Explain

Point, Evidence, Explain
Objectives: To learn how to use P.E.E. when writing about a drama text.

Writing about texts P Point E Evidence E Explain
When writing about texts use the P.E.E formula. Make a point, find some evidence and then explain the evidence in detail. P Point E Evidence E Explain

Don’t forget to explain yourself
Use the information from your tables to write about either Mrs Johnstone or Mrs Lyons. Do not forget to use the P.E.E structure in your writing. For example Point Mrs Johnstone struggles to care for her large family: “Ey Mother, I’m starvin’ an’ there’s nothin’ in. There never bloody well is.” Here we see that Mrs Johnstone finds it hard to provide for her large family as her children are hungry. The use of the word ‘bloody’ by Kid Three suggests that the children are not well behaved and swear at Mrs Johnstone, emphasising the sense of her struggling to cope. Evidence Explain

Plenary Read out your work to the rest of the group.
Discuss how you described your character using the P.E.E format.

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers 7 Social Class

Social Class Objectives: To develop knowledge and understanding of the theme of social class in Blood Brothers

Class First class Working Class Class Second Class Class of students
What do we mean by the word class? Think of as many uses of the word class as you can in 2 minutes. First class Working Class Class Second Class Class of students Blood Brothers explores Social Class which is the structure of divisions in a society determined by the social or economic grouping of its members.

Themes – Social Class Class is central to the story and a theme that exists throughout the play. In Blood Brothers Willy Russell explores how class affects people’s lives. To do this he uses the Johnstone family and the Lyons family to represent the working classes and the middle classes. The Johnstone family is working class. Mrs Johnstone has rushed into an early marriage due to pregnancy. She is poorly educated and very superstitious. Her house is a rented terraced home in a poor neighbourhood which she struggles to pay for. Conditions are basic and cramped. Mrs Johnstone’s limited education means that the work she can do is restricted to poorly-paid jobs and her horizons are limited. She is delighted when she is re-housed in Skelmersdale in a newly built council house.

Many of the slum houses in big cities were demolished at this time and ‘new towns’ made up of council houses were built to replace them. By contrast, Mrs Lyons belongs to the wealthier middle class. She is a housewife with no need to work as her husband can provide comfortably for the family. She lives in a large house, employs a cleaner and enjoys a leisurely lifestyle. Edward is brought up surrounded by books, expected to succeed in life and attends a public school. He will go to university, marry well and take up a prestigious and well-paid profession.

What it says about the English class system
This table will help you keep track of the theme of class in the play. Copy it then complete it as you read through the book. Page No. Class Example Character(s) What it says about the English class system 11 Song ‘My Child’ Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons The song describes the different lifestyles and opportunities of middle and lower class children. 13-14 The visit of the Catalogue and finance men

Living on the never never
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers 8 Living on the never never

Objectives: To complete a speaking and listening activity to develop your understanding of the themes of the play

Read the play up to the scene where the catalogue and finance men repossess goods from the Johnstone’s house, then answer the questions below. Why are the goods repossessed? Why do you think Mrs Johnstone orders things she cannot afford? Why does Willy Russell include this scene in the play? Can you think of another character that Mrs Johnstone owes a debt to?

Although poverty was widespread during the 1960s in many parts of Britain this was a time of economic growth and unprecedented prosperity. High levels of employment and increasing wages meant that people had more money than ever to spend and new consumer goods such as washing machines, refrigerators, TV sets, cookers were within the reach of more households than ever before. However, many families like the Johnstones, caught in the poverty trap, were left behind, unable to afford such luxuries. The only way the poor could obtain consumer goods was through hire purchase agreements. In post war Britain Hire Purchase was booming. In 1956 the British spent £400 million on Hire purchase goods, only nine years later in 1965 the amount had tripled to £1200 million.

Hire purchase is a way of paying for goods in weekly instalments. The advantage in HP agreements is that the customer receives the goods immediately and then pays off the balance. However, there are dangers in taking out HP agreements. Firstly, by paying in instalments people often pay far more for the goods and if payments are not kept up then the goods are repossessed even if the customer has paid off the majority of the balance. We see this happen to Mrs Johnstone near the beginning of Act one when the Finance Man and the Catalogue Man confront Mrs Johnstone and remove hire purchase goods from her home because she hasn’t kept up the repayments. In one scene she recollects how debt collectors turned up during a meal and took away the kitchen table while the family were eating.

In the hotseat Living on the never never is one way of obtaining goods that you otherwise could not afford. Think about the following characters: Mrs Johnstone, the Finance Man and Mrs Johnstone's children. What would they think and feel about the system of hire purchase?

Plenary Groups could perform their hot seating to the class.
Audience members could ask questions to Mrs Johnstone, her children and the Finance Man. Consider what you have learnt about the theme of poverty from studying this scene.

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Act One Lesson 9: Got the plot?

Got the plot? Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the plot of Act One

Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps
The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Blood Brothers begins at the ____ of the story, with the deaths of Mickey and Edward. We then go back into the ____ to discover why the boys died. The mother of both boys, Mrs _____, is introduced by the _____ who tells the ______ that she gave her _____ away and that she has a ‘_____’ in place of a heart. We then meet Mrs Johnstone who gives us a quick synopsis of her ___. We discover that she is a ____ mother with 7 _____ to look after. She tells us that her _____ has walked out on her for a _____ woman and that she is expecting another ____ soon.

The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Following this opening scene the setting changes to Mrs _____’ house where Mrs Johnstone works as a ______. We discover that Mrs Lyons is unable to have _____ but she desperately wants one and when Mrs Johnstone announces that she is pregnant with _____ Mrs Lyons suggests that Mrs Johnstone should ____ one to her. Mrs Johnstone initially _____ the idea but Mrs Lyons puts _____ on her and reminds her that social services will put one of her children into ____ because she can’t look after them properly. Finally Mrs Johnstone agrees and they swear on the _____ to always keep the deal a _____. To frighten the ______ Mrs Johnstone into silence Mrs Lyons tells her that if the twins ever discover they were once a _____ they will immediately ____.

The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Blood Brothers begins at the end of the story, with the deaths of Mickey and Edward. We then go back into the past to discover why the boys died. The mother of both boys, Mrs Johnstone, is introduced by the narrator who tells the audience that she gave her baby away and that she has a ‘stone’ in place of a heart. We then meet Mrs Johnstone who gives us a quick synopsis of her life. We discover that she is a single mother with 7 children to look after. She tells us that her husband has walked out on her for a younger woman and that she is expecting another child soon.

The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Following this opening scene the setting changes to Mrs Lyons’ house where Mrs Johnstone works as a cleaner. We discover that Mrs Lyons is unable to have children but she desperately wants one and when Mrs Johnstone announces that she is pregnant with twins Mrs Lyons suggests that Mrs Johnstone should give one to her. Mrs Johnstone initially rejects the idea but Mrs Lyons puts pressure on her and reminds her that social services will put one of her children into care because she can’t look after them properly. Finally Mrs Johnstone agrees and they swear on the bible to always keep the deal a secret. To frighten the superstitious Mrs Johnstone into silence Mrs Lyons tells her that if the twins ever discover they were once a pair they will immediately die.

Create a comic strip version of Act One.
The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Act One. Mrs Johnstone, a poor single parent, works as a cleaner for the wealthy Mrs Lyons. Mrs Johnstone discovers that she is pregnant with twins.

Lesson 10: Mickey Johnstone
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 10: Mickey Johnstone

Mickey Johnstone Objectives:
To learn how Russell introduces the character of Mickey to the audience.

Match the word and its meaning
Word/phrase Meaning Hooligan A posh person who acts in a refined way Nott’n Liverpool dialect for ‘give me’ gis stupid Soft you poshy A person who acts in a loud, violent and ant-social way youse Useless last Nothing

Vocabulary and Idioms Word/phrase Meaning Hooligan
A person who acts in a loud, violent and ant-social way Nott’n Nothing gis Liverpool dialect for ‘give me’ Soft Stupid poshy A posh person who acts in a refined way youse You last Useless

Characterisation: Mickey Johnstone
Read Act One up to “my beautiful, beautiful son.” What are your immediate impressions of Mickey Johnstone? Consider Russell’s use of stage directions, actions, and the dialogue Mickey uses. Mickey

Mickey What are your first impressions of Mickey? Find words or phrases from the text to describe him.

Making an impression Remember, authors create characters through description, dialogue and action. These are known as literary devices, they are the tools used by writers to make characters come alive. 19th September 09 Mickey

Mickey Johnstone Using your knowledge of description, dialogue and action write a paragraph explaining how Willy Russell presents the character of Mickey to the audience. You could use some of the sentence starters on the next slide to get you up and running… 12th September 09 Mickey As soon as we meet Mickey we get the impression that he is…

Introducing Mickey What have you learned already about Mickey Johnstone? Below are a few sentence starters to help with your paragraph about Mickey: 12th September 09 Mickey The first thing we notice about Mickey is that he is…. Mickey is carrying a … The way he speaks tells the audience that… The way he talks to Edward shows us that… Mickey has an older brother called Sammy who is…

Extension – Mickey Find three quotations from p.20 to p.29 which suggest Mickey is a friendly child. How does Russell convey the impression that Mickey is from a poor background? How does Mickey talk about Sammy? What does this tell us about him? How does Mickey come across to the audience? How does Russell use stage directions, dialogue and action to create this impression?

Teacher-of-English.com Of Mice and Men Part Two
Lesson 11: Edward Lyons

Edward Objectives: To develop understanding of the character of Edward To learn how to use P.E.E. when writing about characters.

Writing about texts P Point E Evidence E Explain
When writing about characters in Blood Brothers remember to use the P.E.E formula. Make a point, find some evidence and then explain the evidence in detail. P Point E Evidence E Explain

What it tells us about him
Edward Read the play up to “my beautiful, beautiful son.” paying close attention to the character of Edward. What Edward says / does shows What it tells us about him “my mummy doesn’t allow me to play down here actually.” Offers Mickey a bag of sweets Naïve and innocent

Explain yourself Point Evidence Explain For example
Use the information from your table to write about Edward. Do not forget to use the P.E.E structure in your writing. For example Point Edward is a kind, thoughtful child: ‘(He offers a bag from his pocket)’. These stage directions show that Edward is giving and generous as he offers Mickey not just a sweet but the whole bag to choose from Evidence Explain

Extension - Edward How does Russell use accent and dialect to convey Edward’s character? Edward’s behaviour in this part of the play tells us a lot about him. How does he act towards Mickey and Sammy? Why does he act like this? What is Edward’s feelings about Mickey? Find three quotations to illustrate your points. Can you find any examples from the scene which hint at things to come? Why is Sammy hostile to Edward? Why is Mickey friendly towards Edward? What do you think about Edward?

Plenary Discuss your work with the rest of the group. Explain how you made deductions about Edward’s character.

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 12: Sammy

Sammy Objectives: To develop understanding of the Character of Sammy To develop P.E.T.E.R skills when writing about characters.

Sammy Read Act One up to “Edward shakes his head” paying close attention to the character of Sammy then complete the table below. What Sammy says / does shows What it tells us about him (Sammy laughs at Edward’s voice) What are you lookin’ at? He is fascinated by guns

Extension – Sammy How does Mickey talk about Sammy in Act One?
Look closely at Sammy's first appearance in the play. What image is Russell trying to convey? How does Sammy react to Edward. Use quotations in your answer. Why does Sammy react in this way? What words does Willy Russell use to suggest that Sammy can be cruel and violent? What is Sammy’s role in the play? Why has Willy Russell included him?

Plenary Discuss your work with the rest of the group. Explain how you made deductions about Sammy based on Russell’s use of stage directions, action and dialogue.

Lesson 13: Mickey and Edward
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 13: Mickey and Edward

Mickey & Edward Objectives:
To learn how Willy Russell contrasts the characters of Mickey and Edward

Mickey and Edward Mickey and Edward are contrasting characters. How many examples of contrasts can you find? Mickey Edward Poor Wealthy

Mickey and Edward Mickey and Edward are contrasting characters. How many examples of contrasts can you find? Mickey Edward poor wealthy One of eight children Only child Lots of freedom Over protective mother Lacks education Well educated Speaks with a Liverpool accent in Liverpudlian dialect No accent, uses standard English

Using your knowledge of the characters of Mickey and Edward write a paragraph explaining how Russell presents these contrasting characters to the audience. You could use some of the sentence starters on the next slide to get you up and running. 12th October 09 Mickey and Edward Mickey and Edward are very different…

What have you learned already about Mickey and Edward? Below are a few sentence starters to help with your paragraph: 12th September 09 Mickey and Edward The first difference we notice about Mickey and Edward is... Mickey is…whilst Edward… The way they speak conveys to the audience that… The way they act towards one another gives us an insight into their relationship…

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 14: Linda

Linda Objectives: To learn how Willy Russell introduces the character Linda

Characterisation: Linda
Read Act One up to “The three children exit” What are your immediate impressions of Linda?

Linda What are your first impressions of Linda? Think of six words or phrases which convey her personality.

Linda Using your knowledge of stage directions, dialogue and action write a paragraph explaining how Willy Russell presents the character of Linda. You could use the P.E.E. formula to help structure your work. 12th September 09 Linda Linda is presented as something of a tom boy by Willy Russell…

Extension - Linda Find three quotes from the text that show that Linda cares about Mickey. How does Russell present Linda as courageous and willing to stand up for what is right? Linda says to Mickey, ‘When you die you’ll meet your twinny again, won’t y’?’ What does she mean by this? Explain how this is an example of dramatic irony. How does Willy Russell present Linda as a likeable and friendly character?

Plenary Read out your answers to the rest of the group.
Discuss how Russell presents the character of Linda.

Lesson 15: Changing Characters
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 15: Changing Characters

Changing Characters Objectives:
To learn how Russell develops the character of Mrs Lyons

Mrs Lyons True or False? Statement T/F Mrs Lyons is a bad person.
At the start of the play Mrs Lyons is a woman who seems to have everything whilst Mrs Johnstone appears to have almost nothing. However as the play develops Mrs Lyons’ life begins to change and her character also alters. Read the statements below concerning Mrs Lyons then answer True or False. True or False? Statement T/F Mrs Lyons got the child she always wanted but could never have. Mrs Lyons is a good mother. Mrs Lyons allows Edward plenty of freedom. Mrs Lyons is happy and contended now she has a child. Mrs Lyons is unpredictable and capable of violence and cruelty. Mrs Lyons is paranoid. Mrs Lyons is a bad person.

The Changing Woman Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!
We see Mrs Lyons change over the course of the play. Using the True or False responses from the previous slide discuss how Mrs Lyons has changed since the start of the play. Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! Plot a graph to show how Mrs Lyons changes over the course of the play.

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two
Lesson 16: Got the Plot?

Got the plot? Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the plot of Part Two

The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Mickey and Edward meet, aged _____. We see that even though they are genetically almost _____ (sharing the same biological parents) they have been brought up in contrasting _____ and _____ and are very _____ children. However, Mickey and Edward fast become _____ and discover that they share the same _____. Mickey declares that they are ____ _____ and they make a ____ (reminiscent of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons) and declare _____ to one another and swear they will be friends until they ___. Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons discover that the twins have become friends and, afraid their _____ will be discovered, forbid the boys from seeing each other. Edward argues with Mrs Lyons and she ____ him. Later, Edward sneaks out to play with Mickey and Linda and Mrs Lyons becomes almost _____.

The story so far Complete the summary of Act One by filling in the gaps Mickey and Edward meet, aged seven. We see that even though they are genetically almost identical (sharing the same biological parents) they have been brought up in contrasting families and environments and are very different children. However, Mickey and Edward fast become friends and discover that they share the same birthday. Mickey declares that they are blood brothers and they make a pact (reminiscent of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons) and declare loyalty to one another and swear they will be friends until they die. Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons discover that the twins have become friends and, afraid their secret will be discovered, forbid the boys from seeing each other. Edward argues with Mrs Lyons and she hits him. Later, Edward sneaks out to play with Mickey and Linda and Mrs Lyons becomes almost hysterical.

The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Act One.
Mickey and Edward meet aged seven.

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two Lesson 17: Quiz

Quiz Objectives: To consolidate understanding of Act One

Answer the questions below to show your understanding of Act One
Quiz Answer the questions below to show your understanding of Act One What famous movie star is repeatedly mentioned in Act One? What is Mrs Johnstone afraid will happen to her children if she has twins? What is used to seal the pact between Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons? What superstition does Mrs Lyons tell Mrs Johnstone about twins secretly parted at birth? How much does Mrs Lyons give Mrs Johnstone when she fires her? How old are Mickey and Edward when they meet? What is the birthday of Mickey and Edward? What do Mickey, Linda and Edward shoot at in the park? What is Mrs Lyons’ first name? What name does Edward give to the policeman?

Quiz Answers! Marilyn Monroe. One will be taken into care. The Bible.
They will die if they discover the truth. Fifty pounds. Seven. July the eighteenth. Peter Pan. Jennifer. Adolph Hitler.

Lesson 18: The Policeman’s Visit
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 18: The Policeman’s Visit

The Policeman’s Visit Objectives:
To learn how Russell explores the themes of class and society through the Policeman’s visit.

The Policeman’s Visit Read Act One up to the scene with the policeman talking to Mr Lyons. Contrast how the policeman speaks to each family. Consider Russell’s use of stage directions, actions, and the dialogue the policeman uses.

The Johnstones Read the scene between the policeman and Mrs Johnstone. What does the policeman say and do? What does it reveal about his attitude to the Johnstones? What he says / does shows What it tells us about him “he was about to commit a serious crime.” He has no respect for the Johnstone family

The Lyons Read the scene between the policeman and Mr Lyons. What does the policeman say and do? What does it reveal about his attitude to the Lyons? What he says / does shows What it tells us about him “it was more of a prank really.” He is polite and respectful to the Lyons family

The Policeman’s Visit Using the information you have gathered write a paragraph explaining how the policeman treats each family differently for committing the same ‘offence’. In your answer try to explain why the policeman speaks to the parents in contrasting ways. What is the purpose of this scene? What is Willy Russell trying to suggest to the audience? 12th October 09 The Policeman’s Visit When the policeman speaks to Mrs Johnstone he is…

The Policeman’s Visit If you are finding it hard to get started here are a few sentence starters to help with your writing: 12th October 09 The Policeman’s Visit When the policeman speaks to Mrs Johnstone he is…. He says … which shows that….. The way he speaks to Mr Lyons is… He says … shows us that… In this scene Willy Russell is suggesting that…

Extension – The Policeman’s Visit
Find three quotations in which the policeman threatens Mrs Johnstone. Look at the language used by the policeman when he visits each family. Why does Russell use more colloquialisms when he speaks to Mrs Johnstone? How does Mrs Johnstone respond to the policeman? What does this show about her? What does it suggest about her social status? Does it remind you of another scene earlier in the play? What does the policeman mean by ‘Make sure he keeps with his own kind’? How does Russell use stage directions to create a different mood when the policeman speaks to Mr Lyons?

Lesson 19: Social Context
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 19: Social Context

Social & Historical Context : Housing
Objectives: To understand the influence and significance of the social background of the play

Housing – Blood Brothers Context
Blood Brothers was first performed at the Liverpool Playhouse in The story is set in the decades of the 1960s, 70s and 80s and to fully understand some of the play’s themes you need to research a little about the major social, political and economic events that took place from 1960 to 1983. You could use the internet to help with your research.

Housing We have already discussed the social and historical context in some detail in previous lessons. For this task we are going to focus on the issue of housing and find out about the changes in social housing which took place during the 1950s and 1960s.

Housing To help your research you could begin by finding answers to the following questions: What type of housing was demolished in cities like Liverpool during the 1950s and 60s? What new housing developments were created to house the population? How did the ‘new towns’ differ from the ‘slum’ housing of the inner cities? How did this housing transformation affect some people's lives? How does Blood Brothers reflect the housing transformation that was happening in Britain in the early 1960s? Why do you think Willy Russell chose to include the issue of housing in the play? What may he have wanted to achieve?

Remember… The social and historical setting of a play is often very significant and influential. Britain in the 1950s and 60s was still recovering from the Second World War and undergoing a period of great social change. Playwrights can have a number of motives for writing. Blood Brothers is written to entertain but also to make audience’s think about serious social issues such as poverty, class and education. Willy Russell has a political purpose for writing this play.

Housing The years following the Second World War were a time of great change in Britain. In the 1950s and 60s Liverpool, like many cities, underwent a housing transformation. In the inner city large areas of old Victorian back to back ‘slum’ houses were demolished and residents were rehoused in New Towns. During the 1950s and 60s New Towns sprang up all over the country on the outskirts of overcrowded towns and cities. In the countryside outside Liverpool the government created the New Town of Skelmersdale, and many families were relocated there. Like many New Towns, Skelmersdale was far more rural in its setting and the working and middle classes lived in closer proximity. In Blood Brothers this social upheaval takes place at the end of Act One. Act One mainly takes place against the backdrop of a terraced street on the brink of demolition but the final scenes of the Act show the Johnstone family moving to ’sixty five Skelmersdale Lane’. Act One ends on a note of optimism as Mrs Johnstone sings excitedly about her new home, ‘the air is so pure…the garden’s so big’. Her excitement over simple things we take for granted ‘we’ll have a front room’ shows how basic her old house was, how naïve she is and how low her expectations are.

Housing Moving from the city slums to the country was a cause for hope, as Mrs Johnstone says ‘we’ll be all right out here son, away from the muck an’ the dirt an’ the bloody trouble.’ For the first time in the play Mrs Johnstone is happy, looking forward to making a fresh start, ‘Now we can begin again…Got a new situation, a new destination, an’ no reputation following me.’ Act one ends with Mrs Johnstone singing the line ‘oh, bright new day’ striking a note of hope that many families felt when relocating to New Towns. However, such optimism proved naïve as the reality of life in the New Towns was far from paradise (Act Two begins with Mrs Johnstone singing that the neighbours ‘sometimes fight on Saturday night’ and we hear dogs barking and a quarrel taking place off stage, ‘What time do you call this then? Time I got shot of you, rat bag!’) Yet life for Mrs Johnstone is decidedly better than before. She pays her bills on time, has rediscovered her social life (going to dances with Joe the milkman) and is coping better now that some of her children have grown up and left home.

Lesson 20: Act One Consolidation
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 20: Act One Consolidation

Act One - Consolidation
Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of Act One.

Act One Mickey and Edward meet Mrs Lyons fires Mrs Johnstone
Complete the summary of Act One by putting the events in the correct order Mickey and Edward meet Mrs Lyons fires Mrs Johnstone Mickey, Edward and Linda get into trouble with the police for throwing stones at windows Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons discover that the twins have become friends Mickey and Edward become blood brothers Mrs Johnstone announces that she is pregnant with twins The Johnstone family are rehoused by the council The narrator tells the audience that Mrs Johnstone has a ‘stone’ in place of a heart Mrs Lyons hits Edward Mrs Johnstone agrees to give one of her babies to Mrs Lyons

Act One The narrator tells the audience that Mrs Johnstone has a ‘stone’ in place of a heart Mrs Johnstone announces that she is pregnant with twins Mrs Johnstone agrees to give one of her babies to Mrs Lyons Mrs Lyons fires Mrs Johnstone Mickey and Edward meet Mickey and Edward become blood brothers Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons discover that the twins have become friends Mrs Lyons hits Edward Mickey, Edward and Linda get into trouble with the police for throwing stones at windows The Johnstone family are rehoused by the council

The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Act One.
Mrs Johnstone, a poor single parent, works as a cleaner for the wealthy Mrs Lyons. Mickey and Edward meet aged seven.

Lesson 21: Act Two - Structure
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 21: Act Two - Structure

Structure : Act Two Objectives:
To develop knowledge and understanding of Willy Russell’s use of structure.

Why do you think Russell structures the play in this way?
The first scene of Act Two is very similar to the first scene of Act One. However, some things appear slightly differently in Act Two. Find as many similarities or differences as you can and enter them in the table. Act One Scene One Act Two Scene One Why do you think Russell structures the play in this way?

Structure Act One Scene One Act Two Scene One
Mrs Johnstone sings directly to the audience Mrs Johnstone sings directly to the audience. The milkman enters and asks Mrs Johnstone for money Mrs Johnstone now pays ‘me bills on time’ and the milkman, Joe, takes Mrs Johnstone out. Mrs Johnstone sings the song ‘we went dancing’ Mrs Johnstone dances with Joe and sings ‘he takes me dancing’ The name Marilyn Monroe is repeated The name Marilyn Monroe is still repeated Why has Willy Russell included small differences in Act Two? What is he saying about Mrs Johnstone’s life? Why is the name Marilyn Monroe still repeated in Act Two?

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 22: Education

Education Objectives: To understand how Willy Russell explores the theme of Education in Blood Brothers.

Education Mickey and Edward have very different experiences of education. Read the play up to ‘Linda and Mickey leave the class’. How are Mickey and Edward’s experiences of school different?

Secondary Modern school
Blood Brothers is a play full of contrasts and the school experience of Mickey and Edward is again very different. Find examples of how the schools contrast. Mickey’s Education Edward’s Education Secondary Modern school Private School Academic success

Education Education is a common theme in Willy Russell’s work. Our Day Out and Educating Rita examine education in much more detail but Blood Brothers does touch on the theme in a couple of scenes. The most obvious one is the scene where Mickey is expelled. Mickey and Linda attend a Secondary Modern school. Secondary Modern Schools were prevalent through out Britain in the 1960s and 70s when children took the 11+ exam. Those who passed the exam went to Grammar Schools whilst those who failed attended a Secondary Modern. The stage directions, ‘a class in a secondary Modern school is formed – all boredom and futility’ suggest criticism of the effectiveness of such an education system and the events of the scene appear to emphasize this as the teacher seems frustrated and his students indifferent. The subject of the lesson (the diet of the Boro Indians of the Amazon Basin) is almost ridiculously irrelevant to the lives of the students it is being delivered to. Here Russell seems to suggest that secondary modern schools failed many of the students they served.

Education In contrast Edward attends a private boys boarding school, he is obviously succeeding academically in this environment as the teacher mentions that he is capable of a place at Oxford or Cambridge the most prestigious Universities in the country. However Edward rebels against the homophobia (‘this is a boys’ school…you must behave like one’) and violence (‘Am I to punish you Lyons? Am I to have you flogged?’) of the school and is suspended for swearing at one of the masters. Russell does not comment overtly on the discussion about state and private education but shows how education shapes the futures of young people.

Lesson 23: Building Tension
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Three Lesson 23: Building Tension

Building Tension Objectives:
To develop knowledge and understanding of how suspense is created in a key scene of Blood Brothers

Suspense In the scene where Mrs Lyons attacks Mrs Johnstone with a knife suspense is created to engage the audience and to convey the deterioration of Mrs Lyons’ mental state. Find at least five phrases, sentences or images from the text which heighten the dramatic tension of this scene then plot them on a tension graph. See the next slide for an example… 145

Building Tension Climax Very tense Slow tension Calm ‘MRS LYONS: Don’t lie! I know what you’re doing to me!’ ‘Mrs Lyons appears in the kitchen…’ Mrs Lyons exits to the street Draw a graph to show how tension is created in this scene. 146

Plenary Explain how Willy Russell builds tension in this scene. Refer to the stage directions, dialogue and actions in your response and use your tension graph to help you.

Extension Activities What does this scene tell us about Mrs Lyons? How has she changed? What do you think may have caused Mrs Lyons to change? What types of sentences are used repeatedly by Mrs Lyons in this scene? Why do you think Willy Russell has done this? How does this scene convey the changing fortunes of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons? What does Mrs Johnstone do differently this time when Mrs Lyons offers her money? What does this suggest? How has the balance of power changed in the relationship between Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone? How is sound used in this scene to build tension? How does Willy Russell create a sense of foreboding in this scene?

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Two
Lesson 24: Got the Plot?

Got the plot? Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the plot of Part Three

The story so far At the start of Act 2 ____ more years have passed and the twins are __. Mrs Johnstone has made a new life for herself and appears much _____. Mickey is in love with ____ but is ______ about it and Edward is away at ______ school. Although things are a lot better for Mrs Johnstone we see that her children are still causing trouble; Sammy pulls a _____ out on the bus ______ and Mickey gets _____ from school. We learn that Edward too has been suspended for _____ at a _____ and while he is back home the twins meet up again. They are excited and quickly re-establish their good _____. However, Mrs Lyons is _____ and _____: she moved here to get away from the ______. She confronts Mrs Johnstone and tries to ____ her to move away but this time Mrs Johnstone _____. Mrs Lyons, desperate, _____ Mrs Johnstone with a ____ but Mrs Johnstone manages to overpower her. Here we see a shift of _____ in their relationship. Mrs Lyons is becoming _____, more paranoid and mentally and emotionally _____, while Mrs Johnstone is more responsible and in _____.

The story so far At the start of Act 2 seven more years have passed and the twins are 14. Mrs Johnstone has made a new life for herself and appears much happier. Mickey is in love with Linda but is embarrassed about it and Edward is away at boarding school. Although things are a lot better for Mrs Johnstone we see that her children are still causing trouble; Sammy pulls a knife out on the bus conductor and Mickey gets suspended from school. We learn that Edward too has been suspended for swearing at a teacher and while he is back home the twins meet up again. They are excited and quickly re-establish their good friendship. However, Mrs Lyons is upset and angry: she moved here to get away from the Johnstones. She confronts Mrs Johnstone and tries to pay her to move away but this time Mrs Johnstone refuses. Mrs Lyons, desperate, attacks Mrs Johnstone with a knife but Mrs Johnstone manages to overpower her. Here we see a shift of power in their relationship. Mrs Lyons is becoming weaker, more paranoid and mentally and emotionally unstable, while Mrs Johnstone is more responsible and in control.

The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Part Three.
Mrs Johnstone has started a new and better life in Skelmersdale

Lesson 25: Mickey and Edward
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Four Lesson 25: Mickey and Edward

Building Tension Objectives:
To develop knowledge and understanding of how Russell develops the characters of Mickey and Edward in Blood Brothers

Changing Times Read up to the scene where Edward returns from university to celebrate Christmas. It is obvious that the relationship between the two friends has changed considerably. But how have things changed and why? 156

Changing Times Think about the Good and Bad times that Mickey and Edward have experienced during their lives. What would be the best and worst thing in each characters life? Would there be a favourite time of life (childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, etc)? What does the future hold for Mickey and Edward. You could track the course of each character’s life by plotting a graph to show how their lives have developed. 157

Good Times Bad Times Good Times Bad Times Meeting Edward and becoming Blood Brothers Growing up poor, hungry and lonely Mickey Complete the missing text to show how Mickey’s life has unfolded. 158

Good Times Bad Times Good Times Bad Times Meeting Mickey and becoming Blood Brothers Growing up rich but rather lonely Edward Complete the missing text to show how Edward’s life has unfolded. 159

Extension Activities What does this scene tell us about Mickey and Edward? How have they changed? What do you think may have caused Mickey to change? How does this scene convey the changing fortunes of Mickey and Edward? How is this scene similar to previous scenes between Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons? What does Mickey do when Edward offers him money? What does this suggest? Mickey says to Edward ‘I grew up. An’ you didn’t, because you didn’t need to’ What does he mean by this? How does Willy Russell build tension in this scene? How does Willy Russell create a sense of foreboding in this scene?

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Four Lesson 26: Recession

Recession Objectives: To develop knowledge and understanding of the social and historical context of the latter stages of the play

Mickey : Living on the Giro
Whilst the 1960s was a time of economic boom the seventies and early eighties was an era of recession. Economic recession often causes the closure of a number of business which in turn results in mass unemployment. The immediate casualties of recession tend to be unskilled workers, the men and women that work for low pay on the factory floor or labourers working for construction companies. Without academic qualifications or specialist skills to fall back on millions became unemployed. In Act Two Mickey is made unemployed due to the ‘global slump’ and cannot get another job. Long term unemployment has a devastating affects on Mickey’s personality and begins a chain of events that lead to the deaths of Edward and himself.

Edward : Recession Proof
Eddie’s family wealth and university education protects him from the effects of the economic recession. When me meets Mickey before Christmas he appears naïve and cannot understand Mickey’s anger and resentment at being unemployed. Mickey, increasingly desperate for money and with a wife and child to provide for, agrees to help Sammy rob the filling station but he is caught and sent to prison. In prison Mickey becomes addicted to antidepressants which causes a strain on his marriage. In complete contrast Edward’s life continues to improve, he graduates from university, secures a good job and looks forward to a bright future.

Create a Collage Label your collage with quotes from the play.
Use copies of magazines, newspapers and catalogues to paste together a collage of how different Mickey and Edwards lives are becoming. Label your collage with quotes from the play. This could be placed on display or added to as the play progresses

Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Four
Lesson 27: Keeping Track

Keeping Track Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the plot development in Act Two

Keeping Track Lots of events take place in Act Two. To help consolidate your knowledge of the plot, rearrange the following events in the right order: Mickey loses his job Edward leaves for university Linda discovers that she is pregnant Mickey becomes addicted to anti-depressants Mrs Lyons attacks Mrs Johnstone Mickey and Sammy attempt to rob a petrol station Edward asks Linda to marry him The Johnstone family move to a new house on the outskirts of Liverpool Mickey is sent to prison

Keeping Track It should look like this:
The Johnstone family move to a new house on the outskirts of Liverpool Mrs Lyons attacks Mrs Johnstone Edward leaves for university Linda discovers that she is pregnant Mickey loses his job Edward asks Linda to marry him Mickey and Sammy attempt to rob a petrol station Mickey is sent to prison Mickey becomes addicted to anti-depressants

Think about it Why has Edward never told Linda about his true feelings for her? Why does Mickey agree to get involved with the robbery? What happens during the robbery? What are the consequences for Mickey? How does Mickey’s changing fortunes affect Linda? How do you think Linda secures a new home for herself and Mickey?

Lesson 26: Linda and Edward
Teacher-of-English.com Blood Brothers Part Four Lesson 26: Linda and Edward

Linda and Edward Objectives: To develop understanding of how Russell develops relationships between characters

Love Triangle Linda Mickey Edward

Linda and Mickey Mickey’s Feelings Linda’s Feelings
Linda and Mickey have a complex relationship. The way Linda interacts with Mickey and Edward is pivotal to our understanding of her character. When Mickey is sent to prison there are serious consequences for Linda and Mickey’s relationship. How do things change between them? Mickey’s Feelings Linda’s Feelings

Why do her feelings change?
Linda and Edward Linda and Edward also have a complex relationship. When Mickey is addicted to the antidepressant drugs how do her feelings towards Edward begin to change? Linda’s Feelings Edward’s Feelings Why do her feelings change?

Linda, Mickey and Edward
Do you have any sympathy for Linda? Explain your answer. What do you think of her affair with Edward? Do you think Mickey’s treatment of Linda is justified? Give reasons to back up your opinion. How do you think Linda feels about Mickey? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Why do you think Edward has an affair with Linda? Can you spot any similarities between Linda and Mrs Johnstone?

Lesson 27: Got the plot?

Got the plot? Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the plot of Act Two

The story so far Autumn arrives and _____ and _____ lives begin to take separate roads. While Edward is having fun at _____ Mickey is having to cope with the _______ of adult life. Linda falls _____ and Mickey _____ her but soon afterwards Mickey is made _____ due to the economic ______. At _____ Edward returns home expecting a _____ but Mickey is not in the mood. Mickey is _____ and _____ of Edward’s life and he tells him to “beat it before I ___ y’”. Upset, Edward asks Linda to _____ him, he doesn’t know that she is already married. Desperate, Mickey decides to help Sammy in a _____ but he is caught, arrested and _____ for 7 years.

The story so far Autumn arrives and Mickey and Edward’s lives begin to take separate roads. While Edward is having fun at university Mickey is having to cope with the responsibilities of adult life. Linda falls pregnant and Mickey marries her but soon afterwards Mickey is made redundant due to the economic recession. At Christmas Edward returns home expecting a party but Mickey is not in the mood. Mickey is bitter and jealous of Edward’s life and he tells him to “beat it before I hit y’”. Upset, Edward asks Linda to marry him, he doesn’t know that she is already married. Desperate, Mickey decides to help Sammy in a robbery but he is caught, arrested and imprisoned for 7 years.

The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Part Four.
Edward leaves Liverpool for university

Lesson 28: In the Hotseat

In the Hotseat Objectives: To complete a speaking and listening activity to develop your understanding of the characters

The Deaths of Mickey and Edward
Just as Mrs Lyons said at the start of the play, as soon as Mickey and Edward learn that they were separated at birth they both die. What would Mrs Johnstone, Mrs Lyons and Linda be feeling and thinking following the deaths of the twins?

In the hotseat Split into groups of three. Each member of the group must assume the identity of a character from the play (either Mrs Johnstone, Mrs Lyons or Linda). Your teacher will put forward a series of questions to each of the characters. Characters must respond to the questions in detail and in role, showing a depth of understanding of the character and plot. Some possible questions are included on the next slide. Mrs Johnstone Mrs Lyons Linda

Ideas for questions The following are merely suggestions for questions which could be directed to the characters. How did you feel when Mickey and Edward were killed? How did you feel when you discovered that Mickey and Edward were twins (Linda)? What are your thoughts and feelings about Mrs Johnstone? What are your thoughts and feelings about Mrs Lyons? How do you feel about Linda? (Mrs Johnstone & Mrs Lyons) What do you most regret? If you could go back in time what would you do differently?

Plenary One or more groups could perform their hot seating to the class. Audience members could ask additional questions to the characters. Consider what you have learnt about some of the characters from studying this scene.

Lesson 29: Got the plot?

Got the plot? Objectives: To consolidate knowledge and understanding of the ending of Blood Brothers

The end of the play When Mickey emerges from prison he is addicted to ______ and is difficult to live with. An _____ Linda seeks comfort in _____ arms but _____ tells Mickey about the affair and he flies into a rage, grabs Sammy’s ___ and confronts _____ at the ____ ____. In a desperate attempt to stop Mickey, ______ tells him the truth but rather than calming things this deepens his _____, and as he waves the ___ at Edward it accidentally goes off and ____ Edward. The police marksmen then ____ Mickey and the play ends with Mrs Johnstone ____ over her two dead ____.

The end of the play When Mickey emerges from prison he is addicted to anti-depressants and is difficult to live with. An unhappy Linda seeks comfort in Edward’s arms but Mrs Lyons tells Mickey about the affair and he flies into a rage, grabs Sammy’s gun and confronts Edward at the Town Hall. In a desperate attempt to stop Mickey, Mrs Johnstone tells him the truth but rather than calming things this deepens his anger, and as he waves the gun at Edward it accidentally goes off and kills Edward. The police marksmen then shoot Mickey and the play ends with Mrs Johnstone crying over her two dead sons.

The Comic Strip Create a comic strip version of Part Four.
Mickey is addicted to anti-depressants

Willy Russell Blood Brothers.

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