Blood Brothers: The Effects and Consequences of Social Class

Blood Brothers is a musical which has interested me greatly since my early

teenage years when I first saw it performed in the Phoenix Theatre in London's
West End, 2006. What intrigued me most was how the show explores its main
characters over a number of years - from birth to death and, in doing so,
demonstrates how social factors surrounding them changes and shapes the kind
of people they ultimately become. My interest in the show was extended when I
saw it for a second time while studying GCSE Sociology as it was clear to me that
one of its main themes is nature verses nature, a concept which interests me
greatly, and one which I wish to explore in my essay. Adding to this, I learned
that the show challenges Margaret Thatcher's conservative view that 'everyone
who worked had could be successful' which was a popular view during the time
the play was written. Coming from a Welsh mining background I feel that I can
relate to the political context of Blood Brothers.
From my essay I would like to explore how Willie Russell uses the divide in social
class of the lead characters to convey the shows message of how social
influences form people's lives. I intend to look at a number of the show's key
themes, the first being nature verses nurture. Micky's line, 'I could have been
him' while raising the gun to Eddie at the end of the show opens up for
discussion how the boy's lives could have been reversed if Micky was the twin
that was given away, I want to explore the way that Russell illustrates being
raised in different homes with different values changes the fate of Micky and
Edward. What elements of the play suggest that their upbringings (nurture) play
a part in the growth of the characters in contrast to their nature, which, being
twins, would suggest that they're lives should turn out to be similar.
I am also going to investigate how their education, linking to social class, brings
different opportunities to the twins. On one hand Edward is very fortunate to go
to university and calve himself a successful career, whereas Micky is led to work
in a box making factory where redundancy follows. I will research how Russell
uses education as a vehicle for differences in affluence and social standing of the
main characters. Money and growing up are also areas I will explore, the fact that
money plays a large part in the relationship of the twins with Micky refusing to
accept money from Edward, etc and how Micky highlights that Edward could
never understand 'growing up on the dole', etc , key themes which highlight the
effects and consequences of social class within Blood Brothers.
Some of the resources I am going to use are the orginal play, the score,
'Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese, Volume 2'
and 'The Making of the Gringo World: Expatriates in La Antigua Guatemala.'