Marilyn Monroe
One of the first songs in the musical—sung by Mrs. Johnstone—constantly returns to the refrain of Marilyn Monroe. At first, Mrs. Johnstone views the movie star as a figure of glamor and wealth, and…
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Guns
Guns crop up over and over again over the course of the musical, foreshadowing the terrible violence that sits at the narrative’s end. They at first seem relatively innocent, as when the neighborhood children use…
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Shoes on the Table
Near the beginning of the musical, Mrs. Johnstone reacts with violent fear when she sees shoes on the table—something commonly thought to mean bad luck. Mrs. Lyons then uses Mrs. Johnstone’s superstition to convince her…
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Edward’s Locket
Before he moves away from Liverpool, Edward receives a locket from Mrs. Johnstone with a picture of herself and Mickey in it. Although he doesn’t know that he possesses a picture of his mother and…
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Mickey’s Antidepressants
During his time in prison, Mickey suffers a mental breakdown and is eventually prescribed antidepressants, to which he becomes addicted. Although Mrs. Johnstone and Linda try desperately to curb his addiction, he continues to take…
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