If I were directing Blood Brothers and had a choice of scenes to do I would choose the final scene as it is a very powerful scene, with lots of tension.
It is a scene between Mickey and Eddie, and in the scene Mickey has come to kill Eddie but there is a twist at the end when Mrs Lyons also enters with a gun and Mrs Johnston comes to try stop it all. If I was directing this scene I would set it in Eddies house on the out skirts of Liverpool in the 1980’s, I would have Eddies house as a really nicely furnished mansion, because he is very rich, and I would have the scene played mostly in the library/reading room. I will write out the script as I would play it with detailed stage directions. And how I would use the light, sound, costumes and voice etc.
(Mickey is walking towards a very large house on top of a hill on the out skirts of Liverpool, he is wearing working boots, with tattered jeans, a faded grey T-shirt that might once have sported a logo, and a heavy leather jacket. In his hand he has a bottle of some spirits which he swigs from every few steps, each time swaying more and more, upon reaching the front door he finishes the rest of the bottle and throws it into a nearby bush and rings the doorbell, a few seconds pass before the shadowy silhouette of Eddie comes to the door. It opens.)
Eddie-Mickey, how wonderful it is to see you, come in come in, will you have a drink? (Glances back towards Mickey with an enquiring expression on his face, he is wearing a brown suit and looks very smart, as he leads him down towards the reading room)
Mickey-No, I’ve had loads (said rather bluntly without little expression)
Eddie- Ah well Errrm, Do sit down, and get warm by the fire, its very cold out isn’t it?
(They both sit down next to a blazing fire, Mickey rubbing his hands together, Eddie pours himself a glass of what looks like whiskey from a nearly full, crystal decanter, the lighting in the room is quite low with the majority of the light coming from the fire, and there is a faint sound of classical music emitting from somewhere upstairs)
Mickey- I’ve been with our Sammy, remember our Sammy? (Spoken, softly, but with a threatening tone behind the voice)
Eddie- Ah yes, Of course, How is he? (Still Jovial, not detecting the threatening undertone in Mickey’s voice)
Mickey- How is he? Ha!, he’s ok, he was going to come up here with me tonight, but he couldn’t, he works on Saturdays.
Eddie- Ah really? What does he do? (Curious)
Mickey- He robs- LIKE YOU DO! ( Voice gets a lot louder and he stands up towering over the still sat down Eddie) *Red Light is spot lighted on Mickey and Eddie*
Eddie- Mickey, what are you talking about? (confused and a little scared of this sudden change in Mickey)
Mickey- You robbed my Misses! ( Still shouting, pointing as he talks right in Eddies face and invading his personal space)
Eddie- I think you’ve got it wrong ( Spoken very quickly trying to calm down the scene)
Mickey- Don’t even try lie to me, our Sammy saw you with her! (Still right up in Eddies face, pointing to emphasise points as he makes them)
Eddie- All I’ve done is take her out occasionally, cheered her up a little. (Eddie is quite scared now and is trying to back away from Mickey)
Mickey-Oh thanks Eddie, you do everything for me don’t you? Fix up everything for ME, well you have all the power don’t you? you’ve got all the control, well, not any more, because I’ve got the power now, I’ve got the control (produces a gun) This here says I have.. (Voice appears to be calmer, but it is a lot more threatening, there is a dangerous glint in Mickey’s eye)
Eddie- Don’t you think you should put that think away Mickey? I really think your looking at this the wrong way…all I’m doing is helping you. (Very scared now, backing away towards the door, Mickey moves round him to prevent him escaping)
Mickey- Did i EVER (Word ever is really emphasised) ask for anything Eddie? Did I once ask you for anything you’ve done for me?
Eddie- No but Linda did! (He says this so softly Mickey nearly doesn’t catch it, but his face contorts with rage, his voice becomes soft but purposeful, and a definite chill comes over the room)
Mickey- I’m going kill you Eddie, No one fools around with my Wife (Shouting again) No put your fucking hands up and close your eyes!
(Mrs Lyons Bursts in and screams, then produces her own gun, Mrs Johnston also enters and starts shouting)
Mrs Johnston- Mickey don’t, he’s your brother
(Everyone freezes at the shock of what has just been said, Mrs Lyons breaks the silence)
Mrs Lyons- You bitch, I knew you’d tell them, but it doesn’t matter ill still have my Edward and your evil son will be dead!
(She moves to shoot Mickey, Eddie yell and dives in front of Mickey, the shot is fired and Eddie screams in pain, Mickey is dumbstruck and looks down at his brother in horror, There is another shot and Mickey crumples down next to his brother, both dead…..Mrs Lyons breaks down and begins crying to herself, and Mrs Johnston falls down next to her sons, morning them, she suddenly sits up straight and addresses the audience as the narrator)
Mother/Narrator-Did you ever hear the tale of the Johnston twins?
As Like each other, as two new pins
How one was kept, one given away
How they were born and died on the self same day.
(Spoken sadly almost lovingly)
(Curtain Closes)
This is how I would perform that scene, with quite a few lines changed, this is how I feel would be the most effective way to perform it, the stage type I would use would we a proscenium stage, were the audience can see form one angle, I would use this type of stage because it is the simplest to use as the can only see one side, there for it is easy to work out proxemics etc.
