The superstition imposed within the play by Mrs. Lyons that should either Mickey or Eddie determine that they are twins they will both die. She constantly implements this speculation to avoid her beloved son ascertaining the truth regarding his relationship with Mickey, as Mrs. Johnstone begins to repent her actions and remove her insecurities. The theme of superstition deeply affects the pace of the play.
Willy Russell’s intensions were to discuss class division through uses language, imagery and music. He distributes class division which was apparent in Liverpool at the current time. The Social division is exposed as a constant conflict, reflecting the rivalry between the two mothers. The audience also views Mickey’s and Eddie’s ability to overcome class boundaries and secure a bond of friendship and affection. On stage there are several apparent indications of class separation. For example the use of costume, immediately enables the audience to depict a difference in social status and devises an assumption of each characters trait. Eddie appears with his clothes neatly pressed and Mickey is totally the opposite with hand downs from his elder brother. The use of accents also separates the family’s social likeliness as a reminder to the audience of their social conflicts. Eddie and the Lyons are well spoken, a tradition of middle and higher class, suggesting a good education and elocution lessons, opposing to this the Johnstone family share a broad Liverpudlian accent, suggesting a lack of proper education and implying a connotation of commonness. Furthermore the narrator continuously questions the responsible source of the twin’s deaths inquiring if it is fate, superstition, or “
‘And do we blame superstition for what came to pass, or is it what we have come to know as class?” Distinctly the deliberation that the play was set in an economically depressed, socially divided Britain enables the audience to deduce the correct explanation.
The separation between upper and lower class is portrayed by clothing and lifestyles, especially properties and possessions. He cleverly divides the stage into halves with one projecting the Lyon’s as civilised high class characters through the use of sophisticated rooms and expensive furnishings. Whereas Mrs Johnstone and her children were represented by inadequate living conditions. There was a great contrast in lighting between the countryside and the city. In the countryside it was bright and the scenery consisted of typical green covered hills and a crystal blue sky. However in the city the lighting was much darker and the scenery consisted of buildings and skyscrapers. A spot light was used in several parts of the play to follow predominant and important characters. Although another aspect that confronts the situation between classes is the language and the way they present themselves to the audience. There are also comparisons between the different classes. This is relevant as during this time because these differences could be frequently found in Liverpool.
The difference between the social classes becomes evident very early on when the Johnston family are shown living in a badly maintained area, in comparison to the Lyons family who are situated in the countryside with a superior housing facility. Moreover the division between classes becomes evermore apparent when the two families start speaking. For example the Johnston family present colloquial speeches in comparison with the Lyons family who in contrast are very well spoken are delivering the correct pronunciation of words. The main element showing class divide is the uniforms that Mickey and Eddie wear at the beginning of the play when they are young. The Lyons family present themselves as very well educated because they wear nice clothes therefore they are well off as they can afford better quality, indicating they have received a strong education enabling Mr Lyons to have a well paid respectable job. They are also comfortable on the income of just Mr Lyons as Mrs Lyon does not have career therefore she does not need to support her husband with the income, this suggests their secure lifestyle. On the other hand there is the Johnston family who wear old clothes previously worn by other members of the family which they wear with no dignity or pride in comparison with the Lyons family. This costume reflects the social differences.
To ensure that contrast and effect is maintained throughout the duration of the play I would set up the scene as Willy Russell did, with the class division extremely visible with upper class on the right and lower class on the left, however I would also apply opposing levels to accentuate the social partition leading to the characters oppression. I would place the Lyons on the heightened stage therefore the audience would be aware they were upper class; this visual appearance enables views to depict the present recession in Liverpool experienced by the Johnstone family and the severe differences regarding the two families. Making it appropriate and ironic that Mickey and Eddie meet in the middle, as they are able to exclude the diversities between them and still unite as blood brothers. In addition the stage would have limited props ensuring the audience’s concentration remains on Mickey and Eddie. Moreover I would apply differential lighting emphasising the importance of contrast within the play. I would request the use of a red light to appear when Mrs. Lyons enters the stage. The purpose of this is to illustrate her madness and guilt stricken conscious. This would represent the tension that has accumulated in this dramatic sequence.
Additionally the application of spotlights would allow the audience to sustain their attention directly on the characters intended, focusing their awareness where proposed, this allows them to view all slight alterations in tension, which will ascend primarily leading to the remarkable final scene. This enables the audiences to closely witness the tension escalating through the dimly lit background therefore the importance surrounds the predominant character. I would use green lighting to project the jealously possessed by Mrs. Lyons concerning the relationship with Eddie and Mrs. Johnstone; this would be conveyed by green as it represents envy and resentment.
As a director I would reflect the class divide mainly with their costumes as it allows the most visual representation of separation to be expressed clearly to the audience. The dominance of class division ultimately conspires to the death of the twins. Following the enhancement of contrast through the aging of both Eddie and Mickey it becomes more difficult to show their difference through clothing however I consider it a more assertive technique to present their dissimilarity. ‘You, You, Why couldn’t you have given me away Ma’am… I could have been him’ this quote demonstrates the relevance of envy Mickey possesses and his apparent depression. At this phase in the play Mickey has a low self esteem and no confidence and perceives himself as a failure noting Eddie’s success he in angered.
At the opening of the final scene I would project the stage with a red light; this would be used as an indicator of the bloodshed to follow, thus this would successfully signify the sinister end confirming the myth regarding the separation of twins at birth ‘If two twins are separated at birth, if they ever find out the truth they will both die that self same day’. The effect that the red lights would portray is a very definite, passionate and emotional end to the tension that has built up throughout the play; this would generate a tragic atmosphere and entice the audience.
Did you ever hear the story of the Johnstone twins?
This quote is pronounced in both the first and final scene, the repetition emphasises the importance of the quote, and demonstrates an altered chronological order which entices the audience, as the opening scene reflects the final scene. The final scene reveals a volatile tension which enhances throughout the play, constantly expanding commencing to a suspenseful and expressive final scene deriving the vivid separation between the parted twins.
