Mrs Johnstone & the Pact
The Opening: Death Before Life
Blood Brothers opens with the ending. The Narrator reveals that the twins were “Of one womb born, on the self same day” — and that both are dead. Before the audience sees Mrs Johnstone, or the birth, or the pact, they already know the outcome. This is Russell’s most powerful structural choice: by revealing the dramatic irony from the very first moment, he transforms the entire play into a tragedy of inevitability. The audience does not watch to find out what happens — they watch to understand why.
The Narrator’s opening also establishes the play’s central question: “So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins?” The word “story” positions the events as a cautionary tale — something to be learned from. Russell wants the audience to leave the theatre questioning the causes of the tragedy, not simply feeling sad about it.
Mrs Johnstone: Poverty and Motherhood
Mrs Johnstone is introduced through her song “Marilyn Monroe,” which establishes her as a romantic, optimistic woman whose dreams have been crushed by reality. She married young, had many children, and was then abandoned by her husband when she became pregnant again. She is left alone with seven children, struggling to feed them, behind on the rent, and facing eviction. She works as a cleaner for Mrs Lyons to survive.
Mrs Johnstone’s song “Marilyn Monroe” uses the refrain “we went dancing” to represent lost happiness and youthful hope. As her life deteriorates, the dancing stops. Russell uses this motif to track Mrs Johnstone’s emotional journey from hope to despair.
Mrs Johnstone’s poverty is not exaggerated for dramatic effect — it reflects the real experience of single mothers in 1980s Liverpool. With no husband, no savings, and a large family, she is trapped. When she discovers she is carrying twins, her first reaction is fear, not joy. She says she “already got seven” and cannot afford to keep two more. Russell makes clear that her decision to give up a child is driven entirely by economic desperation, not lack of love.
Mrs Lyons: Wealth, Manipulation, and Desperation
Mrs Lyons is presented as Mrs Johnstone’s foil — her opposite in wealth, class and temperament. She is wealthy, educated, and married — but she cannot have children. Her husband works away frequently, leaving her isolated in a large, empty house. When she learns that Mrs Johnstone is expecting twins, she sees an opportunity: “Give one to me, Mrs Johnstone.”
This line is crucial. Mrs Lyons does not ask tentatively or sympathetically — the imperative “Give” reveals her sense of entitlement. She is accustomed to getting what she wants because she has money. Russell shows that her wealth gives her power over Mrs Johnstone: she is the employer, and Mrs Johnstone is the employee. The class dynamic makes it almost impossible for Mrs Johnstone to refuse.
Mrs Lyons uses a series of manipulative arguments to convince Mrs Johnstone. She appeals to practical logic: the child will have a better life with her. She appeals to emotion: the child will grow up in the same street and Mrs Johnstone will see him every day. She appeals to guilt: Mrs Johnstone already has more children than she can feed. Each argument is designed to make Mrs Johnstone feel that giving up the child is the responsible choice.
Crucially, Mrs Lyons also exploits the power imbalance. She is Mrs Johnstone’s employer. Mrs Johnstone depends on this job to survive. The unspoken threat is clear: refuse, and you may lose your income. Russell uses this scene to show how wealth gives the middle class power over the working class, even in the most personal decisions.
The Pact and the Superstition
Once Mrs Johnstone agrees, Mrs Lyons makes her swear on the Bible — a binding oath in a Catholic community. But then Mrs Lyons adds a chilling condition: “if either twin learns that he once was a pair… they shall both immediately die.” This superstition becomes the mechanism that keeps the secret intact throughout the play. Mrs Johnstone, who is deeply superstitious, believes the curse is real.
Russell uses the superstition in two ways. On one level, it drives the plot: Mrs Johnstone never tells the twins the truth because she genuinely fears they will die. On another level, it is a tool of manipulation: Mrs Lyons invented the curse to ensure Mrs Johnstone’s silence. The audience must decide whether the curse is real (the twins do die when the truth is revealed) or whether it is a coincidence exploited by a manipulative woman.
Mrs Lyons’ superstition — “if either twin learns that he once was a pair… they shall both immediately die” — functions as both a plot device and a symbol. It represents how the powerful use fear to control the powerless. The Narrator’s closing question asks whether the tragedy was caused by this superstition or by class.
The Narrator as Fate
The Narrator appears immediately after the pact, singing “Shoes upon the table” — a superstitious omen of death. His presence at this moment reinforces the idea that the pact has set an irreversible chain of events in motion. Throughout the play, the Narrator reappears at critical moments, always reminding the audience that tragedy is approaching.
The Narrator’s role is deliberately ambiguous. Is he a character? A chorus? The voice of fate? The devil? Russell never clarifies, and this ambiguity is the point. The Narrator represents the forces — whether supernatural or social — that the characters cannot escape. His repeated refrain of “shoes upon the table” and “the devil’s got your number” creates a sense of foreshadowing that hangs over every scene.
“Give one to me, Mrs Johnstone” — Mrs Lyons’ imperative reveals her entitlement and power over Mrs Johnstone.
“if either twin learns that he once was a pair… they shall both immediately die” — The curse that binds Mrs Johnstone to silence through fear.
“Shoes upon the table” — The Narrator’s superstitious refrain, foreshadowing death throughout the play.
“bright new day… we went dancing” — Mrs Johnstone’s optimism, soon to be destroyed by the reality of her situation.