Family separation seems really depressing because of all the lies that there is. There seems to be so much pain between them, and just feels really horrible altogether. And a lot of the time there’s one parent manipulating another.
Role of the narrator:
The scene we worked on was the scene with Mickey and Sammy where the robbery situation occurs and Mickey is arrested. We wanted to narrator to be very suspicious and come across to the audience very evil. We aimed to do this by his body language and posture, through his tone of voice and facial expressions. We wanted the narrator to act with the characters as their conscience, he was very ghost like and watching the characters actions as they where committed. This brought dramatic tension upon the characters and audience in which it showed he was in control.
When speaking to the characters he was very manipulative by speaking smoothly to make his sentence last longer, and stay in the characters head. He would also repeat himself to keep reminding the characters. He would keep constantly telling Mickey he was a killer which could represent his thoughts. The narrator would move slowly in and out of the characters in the scene which was creepy and very effective. We wouldn’t use any spot lighting because this wouldn’t be so effective. By the narrator being seen only by the audience and contrasting with the other characters was interesting. By there being a spotlight on the narrator wouldn’t be so effective. By there being no sound effects would make it seem tenser.
Staging the contrast between Mickey and Edward’s lives:
We did this in the same room by both set differently to show there difference. We set up Edwards’s classroom scene in neat rows to show that they are higher class. The pupils body language showed there status, they would be sitting up straight with good posture. They would be in neat uniform ties done up, shirt tucked in, hair very neat and in silence. From this you can clearly see that the pupils receive the best education in an orderly manner. You can also tell the school is very wealthy from how the class is presented, the uniform and what the pupils are studying.
The teacher is already in the classroom walking backwards and forwards observing the pupils work. From the teachers body language you can tell he is very strict, walking upright and proud in which the pupils are in silence not daring to speak, with a cane in his hand. Lighting in this scene would focus on all the characters. Edwards’s scene is an all boy’s school. Mickey’s a mixed school this is very stereotypical of class.
To contrast with this we had Mickey’s classroom on the opposite side of the room. This would be set very differently, the chairs out of place, uncontrollable mess and paper aeroplanes around the room. The pupils seemed relaxed and not bothered at all slouching on their chairs and staring into space. Their uniform would be very untidy buttons undone and ties lose. The teacher also seemed very untidy but this tells the audience that he is tied and can’t control the kids.
Although in this scene they annoy the teacher Linda doesn’t dream of swearing at the teacher and finds it hard to call the teacher a name, she stutters and comes out with “you big worm” but in Edwards scene in a polite manner he swears at the teacher have all the courage this is ironic.
The problem of staging various locations:
Me and my group acted out pg 47 which showed different locations. Mrs Johnstone begins with talking about children including her son she is narrating this. And then once she has finished the scene cuts and goes straight into Mrs Lyons teaching Edward to dance.
Because these scenes where so close together as a group we decided that for this to be effective we would have the whole scene with a blackout with only a spotlight on Mrs Johnstone and Mickey first. Then After Mrs Johnstone and Mickey finish talking we would immediately change the spotlight to Mrs Lyons and Edward. By doing this make the scene a lot more effective than having to walk on and off stage moving props ect.
The three scenes we chose where:
- In the hospital Where Mrs Johnstone has just had the two boys and Mrs Lyons takes one of them.
- Mickey is told by Mrs Lyons about Linda and Edward.
These scenes are essential because if these scenes didn’t occur then the whole plot would never have happened. These scenes affect the main characters and are what the novel is about.
The First scene:
The scene begins with Mrs Johnstone holding her new born children, talking to a nurse that comes in this builds up. Mrs Lyons enters and takes one of the twin boys. If this scene didn’t happen then the two boys would never had been separated and Mickey would never have been arrested and suffered from his depression. This scene is what makes the story and without it the story would have never happened and also the final scene which two is quite important.
The second scene:
This is the beginning of Mickey’s reason for depression. The scene starts with Mickey and Sam committing a robbery and Mickey is arrested. He becomes mentally ill and is unable to do things for himself. He becomes addicted to his anti-depression tablets. After all this Linda cant cope and turns to Edward whom both seem to get very close, Mickey learns of this and the build up of the final scene. With out this scene the final scene would not have happened.
The final scene:
This scene is where Mrs Lyons tells Mickey of Linda and Edwards’s betrayal, at first Mickey doesn’t believe it but Mrs Lyons takes it a step further and proves it. This is a twist because in the play you see Mrs Lyons feelings towards her son and you think that they have a strong bond and a good mother and son relationship. But from this scene you can clearly see there’s some kind of jealousy. Mickey can’t take anymore and has suffered enough already so he takes the gun which the robbery had been committed and heads for the court room.
This is where the final scene takes place. This is an extremely important because this is the final scene without this scene; the ending to the play would not be so effective because of what Mrs Lyons and Mrs Johnstone where discussing about. The ending to the play is all to do with superstition.
In this exercise we looked at the issues of unemployment, prison, betrayal, drug addiction and gun crime. These are just some of the things that the character of Mickey has to go through in the play nut in the role-plays/ narration we wanted to show the stories from the other people’s perspective.
Unemployment:
I learnt that by not having qualifications it is not so easy to get a job. Also as an individual I saw that people aren’t so sociable and forthcoming when it comes to jobs and unemployment, when acting this out the woman at the job centre was prejudice against them, she was very rude and conceited. If I was that person looking for a job, I would be very depressed and feel very useless because of the little options I had. In the play Mickey should show his depression through his body language, he should be walking backwards and forwards to show he’s thinking and nervous. By doing a lot of movement shows thought and frustration. Always putting his hand on his face and leaning on things to show he needs support. His tone of voice should be slow to show depression.
Prison:
I learnt that most of the people that are in prison are all working class or lower class people. By this I could see that these people turn to crime in a desperate attempt to have some money, or to have some kind of food or clothing. Once the prisoner is let free they have a much lesser chance of earning money and the whole thing is just repeated. If I was the child of my mother and Father I know that they would feel embarrassed and ashamed of me and so I wouldn’t be able to face them. I think that I would ashamed to. In this situation Mickey should feels scared and frightened and helpless. He would do this thought facial expressions, looking around a lot and perhaps crying too.
Betrayal:
In the play there’s a number of times where Mickey is be trade. By this I learnt that betrayal is mostly lying and doing things behind people’s backs. In the play Mickey is be trade by Linda and Edward, and by his mother. If someone was betraying me I would feel very hurt and angry, I think I would also shout a lot. Mickey’s movement and gestures would be very big and exaggerated. He should show his anger through facial expressions and movement.
Drug addiction:
I could see how easy drug addiction is. It revolves a lot around your past and comes from the issues I’m talking about (unemployment, prison, betrayal, gun crime). Most people turn to drugs because they have nothing else to turn to and this also can be done through pier pressure. If I was a family member I would do all I can to help them through this. Mickey’s movement should be slow, and not much movement at all. He should be still and day dream a lot.
Gun Crime:
From this I learnt that crime was committed by mostly males who where unable to cope and had money problems, they where also teens, and young adults and some middle aged. And a lot of the time the crime would be committed where there was a store of money. If I was the mother of my child who had committed a crime I would be irritated, and express myself through my tone I would do a lot of shouting too. I would feel that it was my fault in the way I had brought up my child. Mickey should be very nervous and walk around a lot, he should speak quickly and be very helpless and his voice should be slurred.
I think blood brothers is a tragic comedy according to the definitions. I feel that it is a tragic comedy because both aspects exist. There’s a lot of comedy in the play like when the class room scene happens. Edward is very superior and the way he back chats the teacher is shocking yet amusing. Even though in Mickey’s scene there lower class they still didn’t dare swear at the teacher and the only thing Linda can come out with is “you big worm”. Also the scene where Mickey and Edward meet for the first time. There both very curious and the way they deal with it is funny. Even though their physical difference is very clear there’s a lot that they don’t realise they have in common they contrast greatly.
The tragedy more or less comes at the end. And by the play being a tragic comedy is much more realistic and enjoyable to watch.