“And do we blame superstition for what came to pass?”
Willy Russell wrote the play in 1981, during a period of political unrest, riots, and soaring unemployment in Liverpool. The play attacks the myth that “anyone can succeed if they just work hard.” Russell uses Mickey to show how the British class system rigs outcomes.
Click to see how the political landscape shifts during the boys’ lives.
When Mickey and Eddie are children, Liverpool is a booming port city. Working-class men have steady jobs in factories and on the docks. There’s a stronger sense of community and hope.
The Johnstone family relocates to Skelmersdale (“the country”). This reflects 1960s policies moving families from overcrowded slums into new council estates to offer a “fresh start.”
Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister in 1979. Traditional industry declines and unemployment rises. “The sign of the times is a redundancy letter.” This pressure helps destroy Mickey’s pride and stability.
Edward’s education protects him: higher opportunity, stable work, political power. Mickey’s underfunded school and limited prospects leave him exposed when the factory closes.
Pick an era above to generate a model paragraph that links context to a practical theatre choice.
Russell references Marilyn Monroe as a tragic metaphor for both Mrs Johnstone and Mickey. Examiners love it when students analyse this clearly.
In the Prologue, Mrs Johnstone compares her youth to Monroe. It represents hope and glamour that poverty erodes.
Monroe becomes a symbol of depression and reliance on pills. Mickey’s dependence mirrors this trajectory.
Monroe’s death foreshadows the play’s fatalism: the boys can’t escape structural pressure and consequence.
The central debate: are we defined by genetics (nature) or environment/class (nurture)? The twins suggest class environment shapes fate.
The idea of structural repetition: limited opportunity reproduces the same outcomes across generations.
Mrs Johnstone’s belief (“shoes upon the table”) shows limited control/education. Mrs Lyons weaponises this fear to manipulate her.