The Function of the Narrator in Blood Brothers
The Function of the Narrator in Blood Brothers The narrator's role in 'Blood Brothers' is quite unusual. The convention of the narrator in most plays is such that they are usually brought on to introduce the next part of the play and then move offstage and the play continues. However, in Blood Brothers the narrator is a physical character and is on stage all of the time. At the beginning of the play the narrator says, "So did y' hear the story of the Johnstone twins?" This indicates that he is the storyteller. His presence at every scene thereafter shows that he is telling us about that part of the story. The narrator is on stage all the time, watching the characters and often lurking in the background, and this makes him seem a sinister and threatening character, which contrasts with other plays where the narrator is usually neutral. Also, as the narrator already knows the end of the story and is telling it back to the audience he can also suggest what is going to happen in the future which has a disquieting effect. Although the narrator knows what is eventually going to happen he doesn't try and prevent it in any way and even seems to be pushing the characters into performing their actions. The narrator speaks in rhyming couplets, which is akin to the supernatural characters used by Shakespeare; this would link with his prophetic knowledge and his cold presence around
Blood Brothers - The Narrator
To what extent do you think the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian or a figure of doom in the play? Give reasons for your opinions. Throughout the play of Blood Brothers I think that the Narrator is presented as a moral guardian. It could be argued that he is a figure of doom because of his actions, but I disagree with this statement because I see him in a different light and I feel that Willy Russell wants his audience to look beyond his actions and see the positive reasons why he delivers bad news. I believe that the Narrator makes his actions obvious and that Willy Russell has made sure that his audience see him as evil straight away because of he says and does. But I think that Willy Russell is hoping that his audience look deeper and don't judge him based on his outward thoughts and sayings. I feel that there is something hidden underneath all the bad forebodings which he gives. There is something else to him and I think this is why I can see him as a moral guardian. From the opening of Act one he sets the scene. 'He steps forward and starts to recite the prologue to his audience. In this soliloquy he tells 'the story of the Johnstone twins...how one was kept and one was given away...never knowing that they shared one name, till the day they died.' This soliloquy is very effective in the fact that it allows the Narrator to prepare the audience for the
What is the importance of the narrator in blood brothers?
What is the importance of the narrator in Blood Brothers? One of the most compulsory characters in Willy Russell's 1983 play Blood Brothers is the narrator. He is the main dramatic device and is critical for the audience. He makes the plot constantly flow and explains loose ends throughout the story. As well as being the narrator he plays various minor roles. He sings many songs, which show characters' emotions, and introduce and develop important themes. The narrator's main focus is to explain the story and what's happening. After long sections of speech he will briefly explain what's just happened, in case the actions don't make it clear. He also makes sure you fully understand the story. One example is just after Mickey shoots someone. The gun goes off and straight after the narrator says, "There's a man lies bleeding on a garage floor." This explains someone has just been shot and because you don't see it, you might not have known it had happened without him. He appears to be very omniscient by dropping hints about things that are going to happen in the future. This is one of the many devices he uses, to reveal the plot. The narrator plays many small roles in Blood Brothers as well as being the main character. Some examples are the milkman, Mrs Johnstone's ex husband, the policeman, the gynaecologist and the judge. All of these roles seem to bring negativity and bad
The German Job
The German Job By Tom Prendergast I could tell he was aiming bottom left. I just knew by the way he was standing nervously, waiting for the whistle. Putting the shiny white ball on the perfectly marked spot, stepping slowly back, lining up the crucial shot. Everyone silent. Ten other players hoping their schoolboy dreams would come true. Seventy six thousand fans from around the world packed into the Olympiastadion Berlin waiting anxiously for one single kick. Tens of millions watching carefully from houses, pubs and streets and then there was us, ten rows up, right behind the goal with a perfect view of the fear in the taker's eyes, ready to jump up in joy or drop in despair and after coming all this way we needed something special. All that long, hard labour, all of those brainless, dangerous risks and the bits of luck we had along the way, but to get so close to our dream only to be crushed and by the worst possible team, but........... wait, I better tell you how we got here first. My name is Jonathan Francis, also know as John, Jono, Frankie, Francy, Franny, King Kong - don't ask, but most people call me Johnny. I've always had this dream, since I was little enough to kick a ball, to go to a World Cup Final and see England win against the Germans in the final - for obvious reasons, but I always knew that it wasn't going to be very likely with it always being
Superstition and class are the two reasons which the Narrator has suggested could have caused the deaths of Mickey and Edward. He then asks the audience which one is to blame and this is what I am going to find out in my essay.
"And do we blame superstition for what came to pass, or could it be what we, the English have come to call as class" Superstition and class are the two reasons which the Narrator has suggested could have caused the deaths of Mickey and Edward. He then asks the audience which one is to blame and this is what I am going to find out in my essay. The first sign of superstition occurred early on in the book when Mrs. Johnstone spotted a pair of new shoes on Mrs. Lyons table "New shoes on the table, take them off" When new shoes on the table, it is meant to be unlucky. In the very next scene, Mrs. Johnstone find out that she is pregnant with twins, and not a single child. "You're expecting twins". This is considered unlucky by Mrs. Johnstone because she knew "With one more baby we could have managed, but not with two". Mrs. Johnstone believes in superstition and so she can then blame the extra baby on the new shoes being put on the table. This can then be called a cause of the deaths of the twins, because there would only be one baby. This first superstition then leads onto the second showing of superstition. When Mrs. Jonstone says the first quote, Mrs. Lyons learns that Mrs. Johnstone is superstitious. Mrs. Lyons takes advantage of Mrs. Johnstone by inventing a superstition so that Mrs. Johnstone is unable to tell anyone about her giving one of the babies to Mrs. Lyons. "you
Overview of the theme of love and kindness and the threats of these in all 4 plays of act one
Overview of the theme of love and kindness and the threats of these in all 4 plays of act one In this essay I will be portraying many different acts of emotion. Love and kindness can come very easily, but it's just as easy to endanger and threaten it. Each of my paragraphs will represent a different play. The first play is called 'Love is a many slendoured thing' by Alan Bleadsale. It's about two teenagers, Mickey and Dawn, who are set a project by their English teacher in which they have to work as a pair. Their target is to find out what 'young love' means to a number of people. Mickey has intended to spend his time watching his team Liverpool play at home. Mickey, throughout the play remains cynical towards Dawn and all girls. This is probably him feeling inadequate compared to the more mature and more confident Dawn. This is shown on the first page when Mickey says, "He made us sit next to a girl. A girl! Urgh!" This instantly shows his scepticism and curiosity towards the other sex. Later on Dawn and Mickey are having an argument about boys being less mature than girls. This is when Dawn makes a very significant remark, "No one in their right mind would fall in love with you." This instantly sets alarm bells of in the readers mind. This shows that Dawn has very intermit feelings towards Mickey and is trying to hide them. When the interview about 'young love' falls
Blood Brothers Coursework
Blood Brothers Coursework 'Mickey! Don't shoot Eddie. He's your brother' The final scene of Blood Brothers by Willy Russell is one of dramatic impact and culmination, representing the intense tension which has developed previously throughout the play attributable to several climatic aspects, this is emphasised by the quote from the closing scene directing to ultimately the most significant instance of the entire play. In this essay I will discuss, as a director, how I would assemble this imperative last scene. To do so I will have to consider characterisation, the mood, themes, dramatic techniques and my intentions on how the audience should react, devising an awareness of social, historical and cultural contexts and influences. =- or play should be presented through precise instructions to those they manage. They must direct and organise the participants, through leadership and authority in order to produce an expressive piece. A director should also have the ability to create the effect needed for that particular aspect of the play. Plays of the same production differ, as the application of the director's influences and preferences alter the performance and distribute a realistic presentation portrayed in a variety of techniques. Furthermore good directors use lighting and scenery with an outstanding effect in a manner which prompts the audience's response. To allow a
Compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in Blood Brothers. Account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play.
'Blood Brothers' Drama Coursework Compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in Blood Brothers. Account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play. This essay will compare how Willy Russell portrays the two mothers in 'Blood Brothers' in the book and on the stage. It will have an account for the different reactions the audience will have to the two women throughout the play. Firstly, the play 'Blood Brothers' is set in post Second World War Liverpool between the nineteen fifties and ends around the nineteen seventies, a time when the image of being Marilyn Monroe was every girl's dream. It was also a time when people were striving to make ends meet because unemployment was high after the war. Within this time the play was set and this essay will also show how this backdrop will have an effect on the audience. In this musical, the playwright, Willy Russell, chooses to portray two contrasting women and significantly, two different mothers. Willy Russell writes the play in such a context with the intent to make individuals realise the effects of the class system on both mothers. The play looks at class effects and how people are able to live their lives because of what situations they are in. For example, on the one hand you have Mrs. Johnstone who lives in the poor end of Liverpool, struggling to bring up eight children
There are many themes used in 'Blood Brothers', the main ones being based on class and superstition
THE PLAY - IT'S SETTING AND BACKGROUND For those of studying the play at GCSE here is a some information on the text, background of the play, the author (Willy Russell) and it's themes, plot and setting. It's probably not much, but here it is if it's any use.... Setting: The play is set in Liverpool, 1962 and continues for around 20 years. Mrs Johnstone and her family live in a poor part of Liverpool in contrast Mr and Mrs Lyons live a comfortable life in the more comfortable end of town. Willy Russell (The Author): Willy Russell was born just outside Liverpool in Whiston, 1947. After leaving school with one English O-level, he then went on became a ladies hairdresser. In his spare time he would write comical songs but would never sing them in public until one night at his local pub, his friend put him up to sing, and for the first time sang a song he wrote about the 'Kirkby Estate' where he had his audience in 'gales of laughter'. From then on this became frequent. In the back of his mind he had always had the thought of writing a play. In 1972 'Blind Scouse' was premierd at the Endinbourgh Festival and later on he wrote many more which have become widley known such as 'Educating Rita' which was made into a film in 1981 starring Michael Cain and Julie Walters, 'Shirly Valentine' the screenplay written in 1990 starring Pauline Collins. 'Stags and Hens' which first
Themes used in 'Blood Brothers'
Blood Brothers Essay Blood Brothers is a hugely popular play and musical written by the well-known author of Educating Rita, Willy Russell. It is fast moving and perceptive, entertaining and thought-provoking, funny yet ultimately tragic. It tells the tale of twin brothers who are born into a large working-class family and what happens when their mother decides to have one of them adopted. Blood Brothers looks at the differences and conflicts of their upbringings, their relationships with each other and with their real and adopted mothers. The play is set in Liverpool, 1962 and continues for around 20 years. Mrs Johnstone and her family live in a poor part of Liverpool in contrast Mr and Mrs Lyons lives a comfortable life in the more comfortable end of town. There are many themes used in 'Blood Brothers', the main ones being based on class and superstition. In the country, class effects how people are able to live their lives and the situations they are in. In 'Blood Brothers' Mrs Johnstone lives in a poor end of Liverpool, struggling to bring up eight children on her own and is forced to give one away to keep the others clothed and fed well enough, whereas Mrs Lyons, whom she works for, lives in a large house, very comfortably in a nice part of Liverpool, she wants children but is unable to have any, even though she is rich, unlike Mrs Johnstone. Love is a theme, shown