Blood brothers - DRAMATISM

Use of the Narrator as a Dramatic Device

Greek Chorus / Omniscient Narrator - adds tension, delivers moral commentary, heightens dramatic irony.

“There’s a pact been sealed, there’s a deal been born.” - Rhyming couplets + elevated diction make the narrator feel poetic + fateful. The narrator acts like conscience / fate, constantly reminding the audience of the inevitable tragedy. Reinforces the theme of fate + moral consequence.

Fate, Superstition, Morality.

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows more than the characters, especially about the twins’ relationship.

“You say smashing things, don’t you?” - Mickey to Edward - light-hearted but the audience is painfully aware that they’re both twins and doomed. Contrast creates tension + sympathy, especially as the boys grow up unaware. Ironic language builds emotional engagement.

Brotherhood, class, fate.

Juxtaposition of Settings

Cross-cutting between the Johnstones’ + Lyons’ homes.

Children playing :

Mickey (rough, chaotic) vs Edward (polite, imaginative) - staging + characterisation emphasises class divide. Split staging can be used to show simultaneous but contrasting lives. Highlights inequality + missed opportunities.

Class, nature vs nurture.

Symbolic Props - The Gun

Symbolism / Foreshadowing.

The toy gun becomes a real one. - As Mickey grows up, the gun shifts from innocent play to tragic reality. Represents how violence escalates due to environment + social pressure. Foreshadows the climax - Chekhov’s Gun principle - if shown, it must go off.

Violence, tragedy, mental health, class.

Lighting + Sound Effects

Stagecraft - Atmosphere building.

Final scene - police lights + gunshot - Blue/red lighting symbolises death + danger. Sound effects of gunshots + sirens create a climactic, chaotic atmosphere. Enhances the audience’s shock + emotional response.

Death, Fate, Class Conflict.

Repetition of Songs (Musical Motif)

Musical refrains / thematic song structure.

“Tell me it’s not true…” - Recurs throughout, especially at beginning + end, creating a cyclical structure. Builds emotional intensity + connects scenes thematically. The melody haunts the audience w/ inevitability.

Tragedy, Motherhood, Fate.

Foreshadowing through Dialogue & Staging

Stage directions + lines hint at later events.

Mrs Lyons waving a knife “I curse you.” - Mrs Lyons’ mental breakdown is hinted through earlier moments, like paranoia. Visual foreshadowing (knife) + dramatic tension to show her decline. Her desperation parallels Mickey’s.

Mental Health, Guilt, Superstition.

Climax & Tragic Catharsis

Climactic ending typical of tragedy.

Mickey holds Edward at gunpoint. “I could have been him!” - The emotional outburst is a release of jealousy + injustice. Mickey’s line uses short, emphatic phrases expressing pain + class inequality. Tragic catharsis for the audience - making them feel pity and fear.

Class, Fate, Jealousy, Mental Health.