Mrs Johnstone – Act 1
o Starts off the play with seven children after being left by her husband for being ‘too
fat’ and not like Marylin Monroe as he used to compare her
o Also starts off the play pregnant with her 8th (and 9th but not aware that she is
expecting twins)
o Mother of Mickey and Edward
o Gives away Edward as she cannot afford a 9th and doesn’t have the time to look after
twins
o Has many children and lives as a single mother
o Starts off working as a maid for the Lyons household
o Superstitious character as shoes on the table panics her, and why Mrs Lyons takes
advantage of this and calls her out on the twins separated at birth
o Divorced after having to get married due to getting pregnant young
o Is often compared to Marylin Monroe, who was a sex symbol but who was used and
abused and was a tragic story
o Tries to look after her kids the best, shown through how she still cares and ponders
after Edward whenever Mickey has him over
o Lives in rough areas of Liverpool
o Tries to control her children the best she can, but struggles
o Rough
o Loving and caring for her children
o Easily intimidated (E.g. by Mrs Lyons when she’s forced to take the money and leave
her and Edward)
o Cares for Mickey the most as he’s the youngest in the family
o Always working to try and pay for her kids and support them
o Tired all the time
o Never has time for herself as she’s either cleaning, working, or looking after her
children
o Warm and caring mother despite the struggles that she’s faced / facing
o Naïve at times
o Children cause a lot of trouble in the neighbourhood as she struggles so much to
control them
o Poor judgement as she keeps buying things for the catalogues that she can not
afford
o Is always very aware of superstition and passes on this paranoia to Mrs Lyons
o Starts off the play with seven children after being left by her husband for being ‘too
fat’ and not like Marylin Monroe as he used to compare her
o Also starts off the play pregnant with her 8th (and 9th but not aware that she is
expecting twins)
o Mother of Mickey and Edward
o Gives away Edward as she cannot afford a 9th and doesn’t have the time to look after
twins
o Has many children and lives as a single mother
o Starts off working as a maid for the Lyons household
o Superstitious character as shoes on the table panics her, and why Mrs Lyons takes
advantage of this and calls her out on the twins separated at birth
o Divorced after having to get married due to getting pregnant young
o Is often compared to Marylin Monroe, who was a sex symbol but who was used and
abused and was a tragic story
o Tries to look after her kids the best, shown through how she still cares and ponders
after Edward whenever Mickey has him over
o Lives in rough areas of Liverpool
o Tries to control her children the best she can, but struggles
o Rough
o Loving and caring for her children
o Easily intimidated (E.g. by Mrs Lyons when she’s forced to take the money and leave
her and Edward)
o Cares for Mickey the most as he’s the youngest in the family
o Always working to try and pay for her kids and support them
o Tired all the time
o Never has time for herself as she’s either cleaning, working, or looking after her
children
o Warm and caring mother despite the struggles that she’s faced / facing
o Naïve at times
o Children cause a lot of trouble in the neighbourhood as she struggles so much to
control them
o Poor judgement as she keeps buying things for the catalogues that she can not
afford
o Is always very aware of superstition and passes on this paranoia to Mrs Lyons
