Roles of the Narrator - Blood Brothers

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Reminds us that the play is a Tragedy

Plays other characters that bring BAD news and represents Fate and Death
  • He creates a bad atmosphere and creates superstition. "One lone magpie overhead."
  • "A pact is a pact and must be paid," Mrs Johnstone swears on the Bible = events will not turn out happily.
  • "Did you really feel that you'd become so secure?" Reminds the audience that there is no happy ending.
  • "You don't even notice the broken bottles in the sand." Creates an image of danger lurking in the future.
  • Always dresses as though attending a funeral
  • He plays the following roles:
  • The Milkman - brings bad news to Mrs Johnstone when she struggles to pay her debts
  • The Gynaecologist - brings bad news to Mrs Johnstone that she will be giving birth to twins
  • The Bus Conductor - brings bad news to Mrs Johnstone that Sammy is in trouble.
  • He tells the characters it's too late to change things. "Ain't no point in clutching at your rosary."
  • He warns the characters that the truth will catch them up. "The devil's got your number."
  • "Someone said they've seen him knocking at your door." - Fate is getting closer
  • "There's a girl inside the woman." Linda feels trapped in her marriage with Mickey.

Narrating the story

Points out key events which lead to the deaths of Mickey and Edward
  • He introduces the story, "So did y' hear the story."
  • He explains what is happening in the robbery scene. "A man lies bleeding on a garage floor."
  • He asks us for our own opinion for what is to blame for the deaths of Mickey and Edward. "Do we blame superstition for what come to pass or is it... Class?"
  • He ends the story
  • Introduces Mrs Johnstone as, "the mother, so cruel." with "a stone in place of a heart"
  • Repeating of key themes of plot. Mrs Johnstone tells Mrs Lyons to take her new shoes off the table. However, when Mrs Johnstone replies to Mrs Lyons' question to whether she is superstitous or not, Mrs Johnstone simply repeats, "I'm not superstitious."
  • Shows how possessive Mrs Lyons is of Eddie. When she chases after Edward the narrator says, "there's gypsies in the wood... They're going to take your baby away." Mrs Lyons is very possessive!
  • Reminds us that the play ends in death. "Who's tell the lambs the fate that later seasons bring?"

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