Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play

Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play

‘Blood Brothers’

The stage production of ‘Blood Brothers’ helps to emphasise the social

difference between Mickey and Edward. There are two main sets used,

one for Mrs. Johnstone’s house and street and one which is the inside

of Mrs. Lyons house. Mrs. Johnstone’s house is a poorer set; there are

smashed windows and graffiti written on the walls. The houses are

small close together terrace houses built out of red brick. There is

lack of colour in this set Willy Russell is trying to show the

gloominess, coldness and poverty of their area with this set. Whereas,

Mrs. Lyons house is colourful and bright. There is a bookshelf which

shows that they are privileged enough to have books and that this

family is refined and educated. There is a carpet that is rolled out

every time that the Lyons house is on stage. This shows comfort,

softness and warmth as does the fireplace in the Lyons house. This is

a contrast between the Johnstons house where they have broken windows

which shows coolness and discomfort. This shows the difference between

two classes in a Thatcherite Britain at the time to the audience.

At the Johnstone’s house the lighting is always dim, not well lit, to

show the gloominess and poverty in their lives. However the lighting

in the Lyon’s house is always very bright. This is to show to the

audience that the life of the Lyons is brighter than the Johnstones.

In parts of the play (especially I found when the narrator was

speaking) the lighting was red and black I think Willy Russell’s

intention here is to show that there is death in the play and

symbolises the bloodshed. Sometimes one person would have the

spotlight on just them so the background is black. This picks out this

one person so all our attention is focused on this person and the

darkness in the background is very gloomy like a dark hole to

symbolise the emptiness that will be in some of their lives because of

the deaths at the end.

There is a musical theme to suggest the same idea or place theme. Like

the music that is played at the Johnstones house. When this song comes

on it is to show the poverty of the Johnstons. The song that I

remember the most is the game when Mickey, Sammy and their friends are

all children and they are shooting each other. The words of the song

are very childish and it’s just a game. However when they become older

this game becomes reality and a lot more serious and it’s not so