Blood Brothers Our latest topic has been Blood Brothers. We spent 6 workshops studying the play written by Willy Russell. Blood Brothers tells the story of the Johnstone twins, Mickey and Eddie, brothers separated at birth who reunite and become friends in their childhood, unaware of their relation to each other or of what the consequences of their friendship will be. The key themes throughout the play are superstition, nature vs. nurture, social classes, dramatic irony, contrast and and stereotyping. In one of the first workshops we focused on Mickey and Eddie initially meeting. We were required to create two freeze frames acting as the boys. I had to consider the boys age and how this would affect how they acted. We then added layers to the scene including a piece of movement and then dialogue. I realised that, as they had grown up in different environments, there would be a contrast between the two boy’s freeze frames. When I was required to portray Eddie, I sat on the floor, reading a book. I showed I was bored by half heartedly turning the pages when I added movement. When playing Mickey I pretend to fly a fighter jet. This was a reference to the time the play was set (early 60s) not long after World War two had ended. This showed Mickey being resourceful as he would have been unlikely to have been able to afford toys. We later on acted out a section of Act 2- Scene 2. I played Mickey and James played the part of Eddie. I used what I had learnt from the freeze-frames about how to act considering the characters age. I decided that it would be best to fidget and show general lack of concentration. I portrayed the restlessness of Mickey by looking around when Eddie was talking. We constantly changed topic of conversation to a... ... middle of paper ... ...mething… A new necklace, some jewellery, anything you want.” Ellie shook her head, refusing the offer, showing that this meant more to her than Mr Lyons was aware of. I looked shocked, implying that in the past, I was able to fix a problem with money. We then froze, drawing attention back to Laura who said "I can't cope with all of these children” she then froze and and Ellie said "I can't live without having children”. By exploring this scenario, it became apparent the contrast between each others lives and how they both had what the other wants. Mrs Lyons wanted children but couldn’t have any and Mrs Johnston wouldn’t be able to support any more children but was, in fact, pregnant with twins. Although Mr Lyons attempted to patch it up with expensive gifts, he was rejected showing that although she is wealthy, she can’t have the one thing she wants- children.
Early in her speech Mrs. Richards read parts of a letter written to her by a young working mother with a family she is trying to support. Mrs. Richards makes a point to take the time to read excerpts from the letter for the whole audience to hear. The young women is concerned, how is she going to continue to be able to support her family with the rising cost of car insurance, and other major bills. She, expresses concern that she cannot afford new clothes for her children if they have a sudden growth spurt between August and December.
...promising dreams, relationships often fall apart under strain from unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, imprisonment, conflict and betrayal. Finally, we get to the heart of what marriage means to these mothers and why they say that successfully raising children is the most important job they will ever have. Almost all of the women said things like “It’s only because my children that I am where I am today.”
Redmond, James, ed. Drama and Symbolism. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 1982. Vol. 4 of Themes in Drama. 1982-1986. 7-10, 37.
preparing us for the tragedy. I will be focusing on Act 3 Scene 1 and
I will be discussing the impact that women have on the play, and how they were treated in this time period. I feel that while they may have been under-represented, they were still quite respected throughout society.
The audience sees through staging and conversation between the two main characters that the communication of modern relationships
Before the trials even begin, Ann’s attempt to have children haven’t been very successful. Out of eight little infant babies, who haven’t even lived for a full day, Ruth Putnam was the only one who survived. Nothing makes a mother depressed more than the inability
reach into the ideas and themes of the play so we will have a good
The two scenes that the essay will be focusing on are Act 1 Scene 1
Write an essay on one of the following topics. Your essay should include both textual and comparative analysis of TWO of the following plays. Compare differing structures and conceptions of authority or power in the plays.
Choose a play in which a central character is slow to understand fully the seriousness of his or her situation. Explain how this situation has developed and discuss how the character’s behaviour influences your overall assessment of him or her.
1. Ibsen, Henrik. Hedda Gabler. The Bedford Introduction to Drama. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford Books, 1996. 672-709.
Oliver Parkers film interpretation of Shakespeare's Othello uses cinematic techniques to express to the audience two major themes present in the original play. Appearance verses reality and racial discrimination are both significant themes that Parker focuses on throughout the film. Through the use of camera angles, language, tone, symbols, costuming and voice-over, Parker conveys clarity of the themes for the audience to interpret.
She wants to find ways to keep herself sane and secure. She has no security if no one loves her nor has the financial stability. Lawrence then also writes, "The men might be foul-mouthed, the women in the kitchen might have bad reputations, her brothers might have illegitimate children. But so long as there was money, the girl felt herself established and brutally proud, reserved." Lawrence is portraying that all the negatives in her life brings her down, but she can have money and be satisfied and content. However, since her family has no source of income because of the deaths of her parents, she nor her brothers have no money. The negativities stricken her with despair and hopelessness which then leads to her how lonely she is because she may never find anyone that will compensate for her lack of income. She is driven by a domesticated life and maybe a spouse that can fulfill that—which is where Dr. Fergusson comes in to play. Dr. Fergusson is as well forlorn
When we look at any performance, weather on stage or in film, that is based on Shakespeare’s text, we have got to count on visual aides to help us understand what is being said. The language is beautiful, though difficult to understand. Hoffman works with Shakespeare as if the man wee still alive and Collaborating with him on the project. As Franco Zeffirelli’s 1967 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet was a triumph in making movies out of Shakespeare, Hoffman’s version of A Midsummer Nights Dream took us even a step further to embracing the words of the master.