Blood Brothers

Liverpudlian playwright who grew up in a working class family.

the genre of the play

twins who come from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm; usually non-identical

Conservative prime minister of GB from 1979 to 1990 who reduced the powers of the workers' unions and privatised many publicly owned companies

setting of the play; place of the highest unemployment levels during this time

a state benefit paid to unemployed people who meet certain conditions; slang term is 'on the dole'

a social ranking based on economic position

homes provided by the state to those who cannot afford their own

new council accommodation in the countryside built to reduce the number of people living in council housing in the city, e.g. Skelmersdale

a state secondary school to which pupils are admitted on the basis of ability

a school of a kind offering a general education to children not selected for grammar school (the type of school that Mickey attends)

examination used to determine a child's entry into grammar school

denomination of Christianity established in 1054 that opposes divorce, abortion, sex outside of marriage and contraception

a band from Liverpool with a huge influence in the 1960s

female icon of the 1950s and 60s who could sing, dance and act; an object of male desire. Presented by the media as having the 'perfect' lifestyle, but in reality suffered from depression that eventually led to an overdose

pop music originating in the mid 1960s around Liverpool

a person from Liverpool

contemporary music, TV and film that flourished as a result of young people gradually having more money. Even the poorest in society would have had the chance to go to the cinema or to a club for dancing

inability to meet basic needs for food, clothing and shelter

the social group consisting of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work

the social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business people and their families

a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief

emerged in the 1950s as a new group of people characterised by their own interests and behaviour

a period of reduced economic activity

the twin who lives with Mrs Johnstone

the twin who lives with Mrs Lyons

a warm and caring mother, despite the struggles she faces supporting her eight children alone; superstitious

a very lonely woman who is the opposite of her employee; unable to have children so makes an agreement to 'adopt' Edward

the twins' older brother who is often getting into mischief; a bad role model who turns into a criminal

the twins' friend and later Mickey's girlfriend

the character who appears frequently to tell the story in the play; repeats the same song/choruses

the name Edward gives to the policeman

Edward's job as an adult

a private school where students live during term time (the type of school Edward attends)

a warning or indication of a future event within a narrative

colloquial term for being on state benefits

colloquial term used in the play to refer to the government aid to the less fortunate members of society

women's doctor

the introduction to the play in which the twins' fate is revealed

a power that is believed to control what happens in the future

the twins' older sister who follows in her mother's footsteps