How does Russell use Edward and Mickey to explore ideas about identity?
Throughout the play ‘Blood Brothers’, Russell explores Edward and Mickey’s differing Middle and
Working class identities to perhaps reveal society’s inequality towards education and moral
treatment of the Working class. However, parallels Edwards and Mickey’s gender responsibilities to
provide financially for a family to illustrate how social class does not exclude one from suffering.
At the beginning of the play, Russell highlights several working class stereotypes: lack of education in
knowledge and manners, laziness and filth to perhaps reveal how social class identity affected each
twin’s future opportunities. For example, by emphasising Mickey’s colloquial language through the
phrase “it’s a thingy innit” in response to Edward mentioning a dictionary in their initial meeting, it
may outline Mickey’s lack of education in the knowledge of a dictionary and lack of formality
towards one who one just met. By showcasing the use of slang through the word “innit”, this
perhaps reinforces the division between the two social classes in which Mickey and Edward’s
upbringing has influenced their actions, words and thoughts. This is contrasted by Edward’s
formality and rigid responses to Mickey such as through the question “Pardon?” which juxtaposes
with Mickey’s confident and bold responses where the use of colloquial language attempts to
disguise Mickey’s ignorance towards a dictionary. These natural responses are perhaps influenced by
each twin’s education which may unravel the government’s inequality towards the quality of
education received by different classes.
This idea is supported by Edward’s autonomous response to his teachers at school at age fourteen,
“yes sir”. Initially this phrase may outline the strong discipline within Middle class schools, however,
through Edward’s obedience and lack of hesitancy to defy the expectation to address his teachers
positively and formally, this blind faithful attitude is carried into Edward’s adulthood. When Mickey
loses his job, Edward fails to comfort Mickey and responds with “What’s so important about a job?”
which may convey Edward’s ignorance and child-like attitude towards Mickey’s serious financial
poverty. As a result, this lack of understanding between the two classes may catalyse a rift between
Mickey and Edward’s relationship which may have further impacted on the twin’s fateful death
where social class division caused the twins to become desperate to
How does Russell present motherhood through the character Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons?
In Blood Brothers, Russell motherhood through Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons was difficult both
financially and emotionally as well as presenting the role of a mother as a protector and educator.
At the beginning of the play, Russel presents Mrs Johnstone as financially unstable to care for her
children. The phrase “seven hungry mouths to feed” in the song Marilyn Monroe illustrates the
financial parental hardships for the working class and the lack of attention and social unity from
other social classes which is a microcosm of Liverpool in the 1980s to perhaps teach the modern
audience that survival was prioritised over moral integrity during the financial depression. This idea
of lack of unity and survival is further explored through the epic theatre convention of the Narrator
who switches roles to the Milkman. Through the phrase “Next week, Next week”, it may emphasise
that hope for the future is a luxury for the working class which positions the Narrator as a medium to
convey the harsh yet realistic living conditions of the working class. In addition, this uncertainty for
the future may have prompted Mrs Johnstone to adhere to Mrs Lyons and give one of the twins
away which presents the role of a mother as prioritising the life of one’s child over their self which
subverts the working class stereotype of selfishness.
Throughout the play ‘Blood Brothers’, Russell explores Edward and Mickey’s differing Middle and
Working class identities to perhaps reveal society’s inequality towards education and moral
treatment of the Working class. However, parallels Edwards and Mickey’s gender responsibilities to
provide financially for a family to illustrate how social class does not exclude one from suffering.
At the beginning of the play, Russell highlights several working class stereotypes: lack of education in
knowledge and manners, laziness and filth to perhaps reveal how social class identity affected each
twin’s future opportunities. For example, by emphasising Mickey’s colloquial language through the
phrase “it’s a thingy innit” in response to Edward mentioning a dictionary in their initial meeting, it
may outline Mickey’s lack of education in the knowledge of a dictionary and lack of formality
towards one who one just met. By showcasing the use of slang through the word “innit”, this
perhaps reinforces the division between the two social classes in which Mickey and Edward’s
upbringing has influenced their actions, words and thoughts. This is contrasted by Edward’s
formality and rigid responses to Mickey such as through the question “Pardon?” which juxtaposes
with Mickey’s confident and bold responses where the use of colloquial language attempts to
disguise Mickey’s ignorance towards a dictionary. These natural responses are perhaps influenced by
each twin’s education which may unravel the government’s inequality towards the quality of
education received by different classes.
This idea is supported by Edward’s autonomous response to his teachers at school at age fourteen,
“yes sir”. Initially this phrase may outline the strong discipline within Middle class schools, however,
through Edward’s obedience and lack of hesitancy to defy the expectation to address his teachers
positively and formally, this blind faithful attitude is carried into Edward’s adulthood. When Mickey
loses his job, Edward fails to comfort Mickey and responds with “What’s so important about a job?”
which may convey Edward’s ignorance and child-like attitude towards Mickey’s serious financial
poverty. As a result, this lack of understanding between the two classes may catalyse a rift between
Mickey and Edward’s relationship which may have further impacted on the twin’s fateful death
where social class division caused the twins to become desperate to
How does Russell present motherhood through the character Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons?
In Blood Brothers, Russell motherhood through Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons was difficult both
financially and emotionally as well as presenting the role of a mother as a protector and educator.
At the beginning of the play, Russel presents Mrs Johnstone as financially unstable to care for her
children. The phrase “seven hungry mouths to feed” in the song Marilyn Monroe illustrates the
financial parental hardships for the working class and the lack of attention and social unity from
other social classes which is a microcosm of Liverpool in the 1980s to perhaps teach the modern
audience that survival was prioritised over moral integrity during the financial depression. This idea
of lack of unity and survival is further explored through the epic theatre convention of the Narrator
who switches roles to the Milkman. Through the phrase “Next week, Next week”, it may emphasise
that hope for the future is a luxury for the working class which positions the Narrator as a medium to
convey the harsh yet realistic living conditions of the working class. In addition, this uncertainty for
the future may have prompted Mrs Johnstone to adhere to Mrs Lyons and give one of the twins
away which presents the role of a mother as prioritising the life of one’s child over their self which
subverts the working class stereotype of selfishness.
