Response phase - as part of our Drama Portfolio we were asked to study the play 'Blood Brothers' and re-enact parts of the production.

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RESPONSE PHASE

As part of our Drama Portfolio we were asked to study the play ‘Blood Brothers’ and re-enact parts of the production.

 Firstly, as a class  we read the play/novel of Blood Brothers written by Willy Russell.  The play is basically about two brothers, both separated from birth.  One child was given away to a middle/upper class family and the other was kept in the natural family of a lower class. The two brothers meet up and become ‘blood brothers’ by the joining of their blood,  both not knowing they are real brothers.  Numerous encounters put the boys in trouble and bring them closer together until an event whereupon they become estranged.  Mickey Johnstone(the poorer of the pair) shoots Eddie Lyons (the richer man) following an argument about the woman, Linda, who is married to Mickey.  Mickey discovers that Linda and Eddie have been conducting an affair without him knowing.

The play is set in the heart of Liverpool.  Mickey is a typical Liverpudlian and is attracted to the upper class lifestyle that Eddie leads.  Eddie is also attracted to Mickey by the ‘cool’ words and funny nature of the boy.  Eddie likes the funny stories that Mickey tells and when they first meet he laughs for hours after listening to the witty but not always true tales.

I enjoyed the play as it was enthralling and exciting in most places and therefore gave us the opportunity to re-enact this and pick up on the ‘play acting’ in some sections of the play.  We could elaborate and give good understanding of the scenes, but in small groups.

To begin, we were given four still images to create entirely ourselves.  All are listed below, explained and diagrammed fully.

The first still image was respectably named CLASS SYSTEM.  We named it, as it was basically about how people are treated when they are classed in certain money brackets.

Three people are sat down in comfy armchairs whilst the cleaner is scrubbing the floor.  All three upper classed people are busy reading newspapers, the cleaner is scrubbing the floor with her nails whilst being used as a footrest for all three upper class people. Following is a picture/diagram of how it actually looked:

The picture shows that the cleaner is angry, depressed and basically deflated after they demand that she clean up after them.  The three upper class persons however, look more angry and all seem to be ‘looking down their noses’ at her.

This shows how people are placed into different classes and only communicate with their friends or the people in the same class.  The cleaner sees her work as grovelling, but she knows it is a job and needs the money.  All of these pointers could be seen when the still image was watched and thought about.

The second still image was given the title “DIFFERENCE OF OPPORTUNITY.”  This basically means if people are generally brought up into wealth then they will live up to it and make something of their life, also they have to prove themselves to their parents and become someone who others look up to.  If they are brought up into a poor family with no wealth then they have nothing to look up to and therefore become aggressive and turn to graffiti and drugs.  However it also shows that both can mingle and become friends and can become either uplifted and get a good job or downgraded and ‘go off the rails’.  The still image shows four people in parallel worlds, two leaving for school neatly dressed and the other two untidy.  The two that want their education, laugh at the jokes made by others and basically enjoy their schooling.  The other two are however the ones who make noises at the back of the class and tell the jokes but do not cherish their teenage years and make something of their life.  They will become one of those older brothers who can do really ‘cool’ things but generally know very little, perhaps hurting inside due to the fact they need the dole office to finance themselves, but can not keep a job if they are given one.

Following is the second still image:

The third still image is called “DOES MONEY BRING YOU HAPPINESS.”  Generally it means that friends and company are better than money and no friends.

Basically showing that you can be happy with or without a lot of money.  However most people would rather have at least one person to share the money with and confide in.  If you do not have the friends you cannot generally enjoy yourself or you can enjoy yourself but only until the money runs out.  As the old poem states about Magpies-  One for sorrow and two for joy…

A true friend sticks by you no matter what.  They need not have money to be happy.

Below is the still image: -

This basically shows three paupers scavenging for money and food. However, they have each other to confide in and can have a laugh together.  The rich person on the right has a great amount of money and seems to be looking down at the poorer scavengers.  In reality it is actually the other way round.  The rich person would give his money to have friends and be happy, as he knows that one day his money will run out.

The fourth still image is understandably named “SCHOOL.”  It is basically about four children in school.  Two children care about the school life and two despise it.  The image is a parallel picture.  This basically means that the two people on one side of the parallel image do not know of the relevance of the two on the other side of the image.  The two on one side of the image are well-educated children brought up well with good discipline where it is needed.  These two people have their hands up desperately seeking attention and trying to get in the teacher’s ‘good books’. The other two are also seeking attention but in different ways, they are trying to be the class clowns and make people laugh. In the future though, they are not going to get a superb job and will probably be  signing on for unemployment benefits at the dole office.  However they do not think that far ahead and want ‘hits’ basically amongst the class.

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Below is the still image picture: -

Overall I think our still images were very teaching, touching and educational.  Although a few were very similar they all told a different story.  Some taught about how people are treated in different class systems i.e. poor to rich.  Others taught how friends are worth more than money.  All however were teaching a different story.

 Response phase part two

In this section we devised a scene that showed the lives of Mickey ...

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