blood brothers 2 Flashcards
what type of staging does Blood Brothers normally use?
a proscenium arch
give three changes you could make that have a big impact on proxemics
- Directional position
- Levels – includes use of set
- Distance
does Blood Brothers use a realistic set or a symbolic set? why?
a symbolic, composite set with realistic elements (houses are realistic) - symbolic, composite set allows you to change location and time period really quickly – can’t with a non-composite set - many different sets need to be shown in blood brothers.
what is the main thing that affects the relationship between the performers and the audience?
the type of staging
name 7 performance conventions in blood brothers + give examples
- Music and song (direct address through song, e.g. opening Marilyn Monroe)
- Monologues (mickey’s monologue)
- Narrator (prologue)
- Montage (summer song)
- Tableaux/still images (end of summer song, Linda, Mickey + Eddie freeze while the narrator takes a photograph)
- cross-cutting
- multi-role-play
name the 3 things that make up characterisation:
- Language
- Vocal qualities - voice
- Physical aspects – physicality
name a technique to help you with characterisation
Breaking text up into units of action + state intention for each unit
what is the acronym used to remember terminology about physicality? What does it stand for?
P - posture
E- eye contact
T - Tension
F - facial expression L - levels A - action G - gesture S - space
what are 5 words to describe posture?
upright, slouched, dejected, large, confident, broad
name 4 words describing eye contact
lowered eyes, averting eye contact, fixed gaze, glare
what are three ways of describing tension
- tension in the shoulders
- muscular tension
- relaxed
name 5 words to describe facial expression
aggressive, caring, warm, cold, loving
what are 3 things you can use levels to show?
status, dominance or vulnerability
A - action, e.g. __________________________
striding, gliding, marching, tiptoeing, skipping
historical context of the time Blood Brothers was set?
Blood Brothers takes place over the course of the late 1950s to the late 1970s, when Liverpool was experiencing a rapid decline in its importance as an industrial port. This had a drastic effect on the population - particularly young working-class men who had few if any opportunities for employment when they left school. Russel creates a parallel between Liverpool’s deterioration across this time period with that of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, whose glamorous appearance and lifestyle disguised the anxiety, depression, and drug addiction that led to her suicide in 1962.
historical context of the time the play was first performed:
- the play was first performed in 1983, when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was four years into her plan to transform Britain into a modern service-based economy. This required deindustrialising Britain’s traditional manufacturing base in the north of England and Wales. Whilst this created jobs and wealth in the south - particularly in and around London - nationally, unemployment had reached 3 million by 1983, and was as high as 20% in Liverpool
- Russell’s contemporary audience were watching the play at a time when the city was struggling desperately with all the symptoms of urban decay: escalating crime, violence and drug-use, and collapsing standards of education, health and welfare. The huge riots that shook Liverpool and other cities in 1981, which had been sparked by police treatment of the black community and fuelled by widespread anger at the deprivation caused by the government’s policies, would have been very fresh in people’s memories
historical context of modern times in relation to Blood Brothers:
sadly, a modern audience must also approach the play from the perspective of continued social inequality in Britain. The determined pursuit of austerity in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash, and policies that have continued to favour wealthy people and large businesses since Thatcherism, have made Britain one of the most unequal places in the developed world, with the divide between rich and poor - and the south and north respectively - continuing to grow. As in the 1980s, crime, violence and racism are also on the increase as a result.
what do you need to consider when thinking about costume?
Think about the colour, material and condition of the costume and and how this might show the era, class, age, gender, occupation and personality traits of the character.
what is the purpose of the narrator in the play?
- the narrator guides us through the play, connecting, explaining, and contextualising what we witness
- he also asks the audience to make a judgement, directing Russell’s key question to us at the end of the play: is superstition or class to blame?
- this likens him to an Ancient Greek Chorus or a Medieval ‘Vice’ character: a dramatic device used to channel the playwright’s message by mediating with the audience through personifying certain roles or perspectives throughout
- the narrator fulfils many different societal roles throughout the play, suggesting that he represents the indifference of society at large to the struggles of the working class, and our complicity in their suffering
- his repeated refrain “y’know the devil’s got your number” and other references to the devil and fate bring judgement closer and closer (from “starin’ through your windows” to “screamin’ deep inside you”), intensifying the inevitability of the tragedy, and - taken alongside how he shapeshifts into a number of different roles - makes him seem like an emissary of the devil, or even the devil himself
how is Sammy first introduced, and what could this introduction suggest?
- like mickey, when we first meet Sammy, the stage directions also call for him to be “[gun in hand]”, and he is deeply involved in his violent “[fantasy]”. This escalates seemingly inevitably as the play develops.
- however, this introduction could equally suggest that he is imaginative, playful, and charismatic - the society that he grows up in simply doesn’t give him any opportunities to channel these qualities positively
give an example of something Sammy does that shows his caring side
as a child he would keep pet worms and hold funerals for them when they die
give 8 key quotations for Sammy, and state which act they’re from
- “Sammy laughs at Edward’s voice.” (A1)
- “I’m gunna get a real gun soon. I’m gunna get an air gun.” (A1)
- “He’s a friggin’ poshy.” (A1)
- “Fuck off (produces a knife) now move, you. Move! Give me the bag.” (A2)
- “we don’t use shooters. They’re just frighteners.” (A2)
- “Don’t piss about with me pal. I said give.” (A2)
- “Y’ don’t get up again if one of these hits y’”. (A2)
- “Quick, get in the house an’ bolt the fuckin’ door.” (A2)
what is the significance of the minor characters in blood brothers?
the numerous, anonymous archetypal figures that appear throughout the play (e.g. milkman, gynaecologist, bus conductor, policemen, judge, conductor, teachers, doctor, warder) represent people who all have varying degrees of control over the working class, using their power and influence to contain them and limit their chances of escaping poverty - knowingly or otherwise. Russell uses these characters to expose the realities of the ruthlessly competitive and individualist culture encouraged by Thatcherism. They exhibit a lack of compassion; use condescending, empty platitudes; and are deeply self-serving and hypocritical, discriminating in favour primarily of social class and money, but also the possibility of sex. It is significant that the narrator is scripted to perform many of these roles, and also frequently plays more of them in different productions.
describe the set/setting of Blood Brothers
the production notes that precede the play suggest that the stage should be kept simple with only “[semi-permanent]” areas being the “[exterior front door of the Johnstone house]” and the “[interior of the Lyons’ comfortable home]”, positioned on opposite sides of the stage. This uses proxemics to visually establish, and continually reinforce, the dynamic between the two families - and the classes they represent - making the centre of the stage a tense, contested zone. It is also interesting that Russell wants the Johnstone’s inner world to remain hidden, whereas the Lyons family are made to seem eager to openly flaunt their privilege - it is “a palace”.
In the transition from Act One to Act Two, both families leave Liverpool. The Lyons family choose to move from the park to a house on a hill; the Johnstones are rehoused from their terrace to a new estate. For the Lyons family, the countryside represents an escape from the perceived negative influences of the working class, a pleasant but underwhelming distraction (“Oh, look, Edward…look at those trees and those cows”). For the Johnstones, the countryside represents an escape to a more positive, “new situation”, where they can leave behind the “mess”, “much an’ the dirt an’ the bloody trouble” of Liverpool, and enter a fantastical paradise characterised by cleanliness, space, and simple comforts that they have been denied this far. However, neither family can escape the class/fate nexus.
what are the three areas of dramatic design?
- structure
- setting
- song, music and sound
Explain the importance of song in Blood Brothers
songs are part of the narrative, reinforcing key ideas, and also serving to fill in gaps or lapses in time. The recurring, continually evolving “Marilyn Monroe” is the clearest example of this as its allusion to the tragic Hollywood legend encourages the audience to develop a more profound understanding of the tragic world the characters inhabit. Russell also uses a number of duets to emphasise the differences and similarities between characters across the class divide.
What does Russell frequently use incidental music and sound effects to do? give examples
Russell frequently uses incidental music and sound effects to suggest the ominous power of fate, reminding us of the impending tragedy.
- a heartbeat “[grows in intensity]” as the two women make their pact, before it “[suddenly stops]” and is replaced by the crying of the twins
- “[music is quietly introduced]” when Edward gives his farewell present - a toy gun - to Mickey, and when Mrs Lyons opens Edward’s locket - a gift from Mrs Johnstone - in Act 2
- when Mickey discovers Edward and Linda’s affair, the music “[abruptly segues]” from Mrs Johnstone’s song, and “[pulsates and builds]” as Mickey retrieves Sammy’s gun and Mrs Johnstone and Linda realise what is happening, only to “[abruptly]” stop as Mickey reaches Edward at the town hall
explore the key theme of social inequality in Blood Brothers
- although the Narrator asks us to decide between superstition and class when apportioning blame for the tragedy, arguably Russell’s message is that social inequality, particularly when formalised by and artificially demarcated class system, is so fixed as to be almost like fate: the lives of all the characters - rich and poor - are determined by the social class they are born into, and they seem to have little individual agency
- perhaps we should see Mickey and Edward as the two helpless worms that Sammy keeps, captured and controlled by an incomprehensible force, and doomed to a grim fate, symbolising the societal forces outside of their control
explore the key theme of fate & superstition in the play
- fate and superstition are manifestations of social inequality: beliefs that emerge when people have limited control over their lives (working class) or as a means of obscuring reality, avoiding facing up to individual and collective guilt (middle class and societal gatekeepers)
- unemployment is framed by the middle class as “a sign of the times”, something which is “quite beyond our control”, illustrating how they use the obscure language of superstition to absolve themselves of blame
- whilst the destiny of the characters is determined before we even meet them, we might still ask how free each of the characters was to make decisions other than those that contribute towards the tragedy: to what extent have their social circumstances dictated how they will respond in any given situation?
how are relationships presented in Blood Brothers?
as with every other aspect of the play, the relationships that the characters form with one another are governed by the class/fate dynamic. Nevertheless, whilst the tragedy of the play is precipitated by the relationships that the characters try to sustain across the class divide, the capacity for love - whether between friends, parents and children, or partners - is something which gives the characters strength and is when we see them at their most admirable and independent, free of the systems that control their livesq
what is the importance of violence in Blood Brothers?
- violence bookends the action on stage, and pervades the entirety of the play. It is also common to the lives of both classes: from the open, endemic violence that dominates the lives of the working class, and even infuses their very language (“dead funny”, “bleedin’”); to the concealed aggression of intimidation, acquisition, and control that characterises the actions of the middle class and the societal gatekeepers
- Russell uses violence to reveal the hypocrisy of the class system and its destructive nature
- there is a clear escalation in violence as the play progresses: from imaginary guns, cap guns, a catapult, an air gun, knives, to a real gun. Guns in particular are used as a motif throughout the play, appearing at defining moments - such as when we first meet characters - and proving to be the ultimate arbiter of the class/fate dynamic
Explain the importance of Marylin Monroe in Blood Brothers
Marylin Monroe was arguably the most famous Hollywood actor of the 1950s and early 1960s, and an icon sex symbol. However, she suffered with anxiety and depression, becoming increasingly reliant on medication. She died in Los Angeles in August 1962 after an overdose.
Monroe’s decline and death mirror what happens to Mickey, and also the tragedy of the play as a whole. In Act One, Monroe represents an ironic hopeful fantasy Mrs. Johnstone clings to. In Act Two, Monroe’s decline becomes an ominous sign: she prays Edward will “be OK/ Not like Marylin Monroe”; she says that “[Mickey] treats his ills with daily pills/ Just like Marylin Monroe”.
In Mrs. Johnstone’s final song, she wishes that the tragedy could be “just a dream […] just a scene” from an “old movie of Marylin Monroe” performed by “some clowns / Two players in the limelight”. This metatheatrical disruption seems intended to encourage us to consider the painful reality of social inequality: this may have been a story but, as with the life of Monroe, such illusions should not conceal real suffering.
what is a word that means “deprive someone of a right or privilege”?
disenfranchise
what is a recession?
a period of temporary economic decline
what is social mobility?
movement of individuals within or between classes
Willy Russell context:
[] Willy Russell was born in 1947 into a working-class family near to Liverpool. He left school at 15 without academic qualifications and became a hairdresser. By the age of 20 he felt the need to return to education and, after leaving university, he became a teacher at a comprehensive school in his home city. [] During this time Russell wrote songs for performers and for radio shows. One of his early plays was about the Liverpool pop group The Beatles. He has a love of popular music and this can be seen in many of his plays, but especially in Blood Brothers.
liverpool context:
[] Liverpool, because of its position on the River Mersey, was a prosperous seaport in the 19th century.
[] There was a big gap between the rich and the poor.
[] Liverpool is also famous for its football teams and impact on culture – the Mersey Beat (poetry), The Beatles (music) and playwrights, architects etc.
[] Liverpudlians are known for their warmth, hospitality and wit. Mrs Johnstone’s typifies these qualities.
[] In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Britain suffered an economic downturn and unemployment soared. This particularly affected industrialised working-class areas in the north of the country and Willy Russell would have seen this first hand in his home city.
[] Liverpool’s famous docks, a traditional source of local employment, were allowed to run down and thousands of households fell into poverty; crime levels increased; housing was allowed to deteriorate and illegal drug use became more common.
[] Some of this context is directly reflected in the play, for example, Russell shows the terrible effects of unemployment on Mickey’s self-esteem.
political context - Margaret Thatcher
[] Blood Brothers was completed in 1981, two years after the conservative party leader Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister.
[] She felt that the British manufacturing industry had become uncompetitive and saw the cause as weak employers and overly strong trades unions who were, she felt, too willing to call their members out on strike.
[] She reduced the powers of the workers’ unions and privatised (‘sold off’) many publicly owned companies.
She closed many uncompetitive coal mines, too.
[] One of Thatcher’s central political beliefs was that success came to those who chose to work hard.
[] In Blood Brothers, Russell contradicts this view. He shows a divided society by having Mickey and Edward attend very different schools and live in different houses.
[] The fact that money and influential connections are necessary to become successful is written into the play.
[] Mickey’s failure, despite his good character and hard work, is the basis of the tragedy in the drama. This is, again, highlighted at the end of the play when Mickey says ‘I could have been him’.
what are the elements of social context in Blood Brothers?
- unemployment
- relationships
- education (poverty & education/grammar schools/secondary modern schools)
- housing/’new towns’ (“bright new day”)
social context - unemployment:
[] Unemployment reached 25% in the 1980s.
[] At the time the play is set, factories were closing down.
[] At the start of act 2, Sammy is already on the dole, and the song Take a Letter Miss Jones illustrates how this rising unemployment adversely affects Mickey’s life and tempts him into crime.
[] Being out of work creates low self–esteem; particularly for traditional men who feel they need to support their family.
Social Context - Relationships:
[] During the 1950s and 60s, people strongly disapproved of sex before marriage and this is why Mrs Johnstone ‘has to’ marry quickly at the start of the play.
[] Divorce was uncommon and this is another reason the neighbours might disapprove of her.
[] We also see this repeated when Linda finds herself
pregnant and marries Mickey.
Social Context – Education (Grammar Schools):
[] Although the 1945 Education Act had made Grammar Schools free, working class children had to pass the 11+ to gain entry to the Grammar Schools. The pass mark was kept deliberately high. Few children were allowed the privilege of a grammar school education, and even if they gained a place, there was no guarantee that they would leave with qualifications, as the school leaving age was 15.
[] Pupils at grammar schools studied academic subjects and took O Levels. Many then went on to take A Levels and some attended University.
[] There were far fewer University places then, so most would go
into employment after school.
Social Context – Education (Secondary Modern Schools):
[] Children who failed the 11+ would go to a Secondary Modern
School to be prepared for life in the trades.
[] Boys would study practical skills like bricklaying, alongside
academic work, and girls would learn how to cook and sew.
[] Many of these schools were under-funded.
[] If pupils were not considered ‘bright’ they were not allowed to take CSEs. These qualifications were not worth as much as the O Levels taken at Grammar School.
[] So it was common for children to leave school without any qualifications at all. It was more difficult for them to get on in life.
Social Context – Poverty and Education:
In the play, there is a clearly established link between poverty and under-achievement at school:
[] Edward is sent to a private, fee-paying boarding school and will take O levels, A levels and go on to University.
[] Mickey attends a secondary modern school. When he leaves, he goes into employment.
[] Things go wrong when Mickey is made redundant (Take a Letter Miss Jones), whereas Edward has a much more secure ‘white collar’ job.
[] Manual workers were called ‘blue collar’ workers; they were more affected by closure of factories and the scarcity of work connected with the docks.
Social Context – Housing:
Council Houses were the homes of most working class people in the 1950s and 1960s. The terraced houses had a lot to recommend them, but they were also cramped and lacked inside toilets and bathrooms. They did not have central heating and were heated mostly by coal fires. Their inner city locations were often dirty and there was nowhere for children to play as they rarely had gardens.
Social Context – ‘New Towns’:
[] In Act 2, we see the Johnstone’s moved house by the government. They move to a house in a ‘New Town’.
[] To improve standards of living, the government created the New Towns Act (1946) where they moved people away from the terraced houses into new council accommodation in the countryside. ‘New Towns’ were created like Welwyn Garden City and Skelmersdale, and existing places were developed, like Runcorn and Winsford.
Social Context – Bright New Day:
[] Mrs Johnstone’s family is certainly helped by their move, although not as much as she had hoped.
[] In many ways, it is already too late for the older children, and the unemployment situation was often worse away from the city.
[] Also, many missed the people and the amenities that they had known before, and the support network that existed all but vanished. Uprooting people can cause stress and depression.
what are the 2 elements of cultural context in Blood Brothers?
- Marilyn Monroe
2. pop culture
Cultural Context - Marilyn Monroe:
[] Marilyn Monroe was a very famous Hollywood actress. Her image was well known even to people who did not watch her films. She was presented by the media as a kind of ‘perfect’ fantasy woman and she was shown to live a glamorous and carefree lifestyle. The reality was often very different. She needed anti-depressants and eventually died from an overdose of pills.
[] Russell uses references to Monroe throughout the play. At each
point he refers to a different aspect of her life and public image.
Mrs Johnstone enjoys the glamour of Monroe’s public image.
Later in the play Mickey becomes hooked on anti-depressant
‘nerve pills’ and this is compared to Monroe’s own depression.
Cultural Context - Pop Culture:
[] In the 1950s, society went through massive changes. As a result of young people gradually having more money, popular culture (music, TV and film) flourished, becoming accessible to a much wider public.
[] Even the poorest in society, people represented in the play by the fictional Johnstone family, would have had the chance to go to the cinema or to a club for dancing.
Think about the various ways characters in Blood Brothers are influenced by music, film and, especially, fantasy:
[] Mr. Johnstone’s attitude toward his wife is based on her likeness to Marilyn Monroe.
[] Mrs Johnstone’s love of ‘dancing’ is a love of escape from her everyday life.
[] The boys’ love of playful but ‘violent’ games, playing at cowboys and gangsters is influenced by films.
What can the set design symbolise to the audience?
The time the play is set in The place the play is set in The social, cultural or historical context of the play The mood of the characters The desired atmosphere Foreshadow what will happen in the play
Which elements of set can you use to enhance the semiotics?
The Proscenium Arch The backdrop Entrances and exits Flooring Internal scenery flats External scenery flats Levels Set dressing- posters, furniture, objects etc.
what is a Profile Spotlight?
A focussed beam of light to highlight one specific area of the stage
what is flood lighting?
A light that illuminates a wide area of the stage
what is a fresnel?
An adaptable light which size can be increased or decreased by focussing the beam or using barn doors
what is the name for a strong spotlight that can be moved to follow the action on stage?
a Follow Spot
what is the name for a light that constantly flashes to create a slow motion or non naturalistic effect
a strobe light
name 4 lighting accessories
- gel
- gel frame
- gobo
- barn doors
what is a gel?
A thin piece of coloured plastic that is placed in front of a lantern, making it project colour onto the stage
what is a gel frame?
A metal frame that holds the gel in place in front of the lantern
what is the name for a metal or glass disc with cut-out shapes that projects that shape onto the stage?
a gobo
what are barn doors?
four metal flaps that are placed around Fresnels that create straight edges
explain 4 different lighting effects
- lighting direction (back light, side light, uplights) - lights can come from different areas of the stage in order to cast shadows on the stage
- intensity - dimmer packs and control boards can be used to increase or decrease the intensity of the lights to create soft or harsh lighting effects
- colour for symbolism - coloured gels can be used to symbolise emotions and themes to the audience
- translucency - if a gauze is lit a certain way it can become translucent so that the audience is able to see through it to a scene behind
what elements should you consider when discussing costume?
Colour Garments Period Material Context
what do you have to think about when considering the colour of a costume?
What could the colour represent about the character’s personality, decisions, background, inner feelings and others perspective of them?
what do you have to think about when considering garments?
Think about more than one type of garment, waistcoats, belts, jewellery, shorts, cardigans, hats, scarfs etc
what do you have to consider when thinking about period in costume design?
How does the costume reflect the era that the play is set in? Remember that the play is set over 20 years. How could you adapt the costume to show a change in time?
what do you have to consider when thinking about the material of a costume?
What could the choice and condition of material say about the character?
name 4 important props in Blood Brothers
- Locket
- Bible
- Bag of sweets
- toy gun/real gun
what do you have to remember when designing a stage?
the actor-audience relationship
what are the advantages of a thrust stage?
- great for large scale productions
- more intimate as actors are closer to the audience and surrounded by them
- large items of set are able to be used upstage without interferring with ‘sightlines’
- most plays work well in this staging
what are the disadvantages of a thrust stage?
[] Actors have to relate to 3 sides to get interaction.
[] Lighting plot needs to be more complex.
[] Entrances/Exits/Wings need to be thought out because of sightlines
[] The stage floor is a vital part of the set design because of the audience seating.
[] Scene changes have to be done in front of the audience.
what are the advantages of a proscenium arch stage?
[] Audiences are comfortable as this is the most familiar staging.
[] Sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’ creates realism.
[] Realistic sets easy to create – the 4th wall is removed the illusion of reality is created.
[] Blocking is easier with entrances and exits.
[] Technical effects are easier to achieve.
[] Most types and scales of performance can be successful.
what are the disadvantages of a proscenium arch stage?
Difficult for an audience to become heavily involved.
Realism can be hard to create as they have a fourth wall. Blocking needs to ensure it isn’t too linear in performance and no one has there back to the audience.
Furniture needs to be placed with the audience in mind – good plot and spike during tech rehearsal. ‘Sightlines’.
Blocking needs to be natural but ensuring that the audience can see all that is going on. Example of the family dinner table.
what are the advantages of using ‘in the round’ staging?
Audience – actor bond is strong and intimate because the actors are close to the audience.
Impossible to have a realistic set in the round – enhances imagination watching. Audience has to create a sense of environment themselves.
Naturalistic performance – as you’ll have your back to someone at some stage.
Scene changes can happen as part of the performance – by cast or stage management in costume.
what are the disadvantages of performing a play ‘in the round’?
Similar to thrust issues but even more so!
Unless you can raise the audience you will struggle with sightline problems.
Realism can’t be used with this set.
Harder restrictions for designers of set, lighting & sound. Restrictions on placing furniture and focus of lights.
Blocking has to be highly accurate because of performing to 4 sides.
Actors can be subtle – having audience all around.
what are the advantages of a traverse stage? (audience on both sides of the play, but only 2 sides)
Audience uses imagination due to set restrictions like ‘in the round’.
Use doors/walls to create a corridor feel with interfering with sightlines.
Simple form to create in a studio theatre.
Good staging for small audiences.
Scene changes have to be carried out in full view of the audience.
Good for enabling use of movement – causing swift changes of location in a fast paced play.
what are the disadvantages of a traverse stage? (audience on both sides of the play, but only 2 sides)
Suitable only for a relatively small audience – although there are exceptions.
Audience ideally needs to be raked in tiers like a catwalk – which can be hard to create.
Using each extreme end of the stage can create problems for audience sightlines and can cause a Wimbledon effect for the audience which is wearing.
During scene changes, blocking usually means one set of actors has to exit one end & the new cast/new scene comes on from the other end to start.
give 11 examples of theatre makers
- actor
- choreographer
- lighting designer
- understudy
- director
- stage managers
- set designer
- playwright
- sound designer
- costume designer
- lyricist
what would the duties of an actor be for a production of blood brothers?
- learn the lines
- use research/improvisation techniques to learn more about your character
- develop appropriate characterisation according to the director’s requirements
what would be the duties of a director be for a scene in Blood Brothers?
Block the scene
Stop the action to direct characterisation
Make decisions on design of your scene
what would the duties of a costume designer be for a production of Blood Brothers?
Research costumes of the era
Draw a detailed design for the costume of two characters from the scenes
Annotate the semiotics of each piece of costume you design
