Mrs. Johnstone is a single mother, abandoned by her husband, with too many mouths to feed. She’s a housekeeper for Mrs. Lyons, an ostensibly kind, married woman, who is unable to carry a pregnancy to term. When she learns Mrs. Johnstone is pregnant with twins, and already on the verge of losing welfare, she pleads to “adopt” one as her own. Mrs. Johnstone is leery, but Mrs. Lyons is convincing; assuring her that she’ll be able to see him every day. Mrs. Lyons insists that the two boys must never meet. Not ever. Needless to say, the brothers, Mickey and Eddie, cross paths. They hit it off, but after enduring their mothers’ wrath, continue to meet in secret. Such is the premise of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, a bleak, though utterly human, musical set in England from 1950-1975.
Because the two brothers have been raised in two very different households, the theme of England’s caste system arises, repeatedly. Mrs. Johnstone is constantly in debt. Eddie loves to learn dirty words from Mickey, and join in with his mischief. It never crosses their minds that there’s any fundamental difference in their situations. When they are much older, and Mickey explains he’s stuck in a horrible job, Eddie tells him to quit, not realizing this isn’t an option. Without revealing too much, Mickey and Eddie’s great love for each other lasts only as long as privilege doesn’t become an issue.
Blood Brothers is an unorthodox, fresh musical, filled with songs that are convivial, yet wistful. It takes unexpected turns, and certainly doesn’t lack for comic relief. It avoids polished tropes that so often make a show feel phoned-in or hollow. It walks the razor’s edge between drama and melodrama, managing to tell a convincing story without becoming maudlin or manipulative. A central metaphor is expressed by the life of Marilyn Monroe, familiar to Mrs. Johnstone through the movies. This glamorous, yet emotionally raw celebrity, embodies the realm of opulence and despondency. Mrs. Johnstone embraces the idea of Monroe, which is both ethereal and tragic. It mixes longing for a better life with resignation to disappointment. Blood Brothers is a gripping, sagacious show that explores the connection between familial roots and destiny. Russell’s respect for his characters, and for us, comes shining through.
IMPRINT theatreworks presents Blood Brothers, playing November 26th – November 10th, 2018. Bath House Cultural Center. 521 E. Lawther Drive, Dallas, TX 75218. www.imprinttheatreworks.org. (650) 265-1193.