So far in the story Mickey has met and had a good long chat with Edward, they have became blood brother but, they do not know that that they are real brother’s, Both of them know that their birthday’s are on the same day. They cannot tell that they are twins because of the way they speak e.g. Mickey-“gis a sweet”(act 1,pg 24), they way they are dressed. Edward meets Mrs.Johnstone
For the first time, she cannot believe how well looked after he is, his nice brand new clean clothes he’s got. Mrs.Johnstone tells Edward to never come around this area, because if Mickey and Edward find out by any chance that they are twins they will die instantly. This superstition made up by Mrs. Lyons, she knew that Mrs. Johnston believes superstitions more than anything else in the world.
The plot of the play is about two twin boys, Edward and Mickey. Mrs.Johnstones husband left her with 7 kids to look after because he was into another woman so poor Mrs. Johnston had to take care of 7 kids but she had another surprise her husband had left her something to remind her of him like 7 weren’t enough she was expecting twins. She couldn’t take care of 9 kids so she made a deal with a lady called Mrs. Lyons she only had started to work in her house as a maid so gave one of the twins away Edward to Mrs. Lyons, Mrs. Johnston was a really spirituous lady so to keep both of the brothers finding out she made a superstition of her own that if any of the twins find out once they have been separated that they are brothers they will die straight away.
Well they both try to keep them away from each other but their plan fails they find out in the end that they are twins and Mickey shots Edward because their mum gave away Edward he says “You! You! Why didn’t you give me away! I could have been… I could have been him! Mickey shot Edward.
Mickey’s house set of props. I would like to put the following things on the side of Mrs. Johnston’s set:
Coffee table with one leg half broken so that its tilted a bit, Sofa with the feathers coming out of it sewed a bit from the side, Black and white TV, with some of the knobs missing, half of the room with another colored carpet a dirty rug in the middle, ripped or damped wallpaper, outside of the house, bin on the floor rubbish on the ground on the road, uncut grass, smashed up glass on the ground, boarded windows, broken toys e.g. bike with only one wheel
Edwards’s house set of props:
Nice wallpaper, carpeted all through, nice rug in the middle, coffee table in the middle of the room with vase with flowers on the top, colored TV and nice 3-piece suite
Outside of the house:
Clean, Nice clean garden, nicely maintained garden, fenced all around.
Mrs. Johnston side of the stage should very messy and dirty not looked after that much. The audience should be able to tell in a second which side belongs to who, totally opposite to things going on with the side of Mrs. Lyons side of the stage very posh and looked after
Mickey’s costume should very dirty some things too big for his size, passed on by his brothers. His hair all over the place some, mucky and probably unwashed in weeks, his knees mucky and dirty probably scared elbows and a dirty jumper with holes in it, rolled up selves because the jumper is a bit to big for him and dirty trousers and shoes that you can see through them.
Eddie’s costume should totally opposite to what Mickey looks like and the way he’s dressed nice washed clean hair, clean face his clothes really smart nice comfortable fit for a king nice shoes, brushed hair, clean trousers, white shirt, vest and a nice coat. Eddies costume should be very posh the audience should get the expression the second they see Edward.
The narrators costume when he is singing his song should be a cloak, white shirt with a white coat, black shoes and black trousers, his clothes should give a very dark mysterious character.
Mrs. Johnstone will be wearing a frilly apron very dirty, hair net, some curlers on the top and rubber gloves. Mrs. Johnston’s costume should tell the audience that she a working class woman.
Edward when ever says a dialog I want him to say it slowly, not fast, clear words, don’t not use any slang, say full words “Pissed off. You say smashing things don’t you? Do you know any more words like that?”(Act1, PG 24). Do not use a Liverpool accent.
Mrs. Johnstone you can use as much as slang you want to, but don’t overdo it and please make an effort on using as much Liverpool accent. When Mickey is singing can he make funny childish expressions.
The main themes in the play are:
- Poverty e.g. job loss “They’ve started layin’people off in the factory y’ know”(act2, pg82)
- Upper class and working class e.g. Mrs.johnstone family working class and Mrs. Lyons Upper class
- Guns/violence and superstion.
These are the main themes in the play. The section that we are concentrating on superstition is one of the themes. In those days people like Mrs. Johnstone used to believe in superstition. I think this is one of the theme’s because it’s in the beginning and in the end of the play “you know what they say about twins, secretly parted, don’t you” (Mrs. Lyons is blackmailing Mrs. Johnstone, so Mrs. Johnstone would not tell Edward or Mickey about the sin they both did)
Violence is a theme as well because it never end’s from the start to the end.
By, Ahsan