Contemporary Scottish Theatre: Social Conditions

Contemporary Contemporary Scottish Theatre:Scottish Theatre: Social Conditions Social Conditions

NegativityNegativity

Controlling matriarchControlling matriarch Plight of the oldPlight of the old Violent cultureViolent culture Deprived upbringingDeprived upbringing Women and businessWomen and business Lack of loving relationshipsLack of loving relationships The cheapness of sexThe cheapness of sex

Controlling MatriarchControlling Matriarch

Bernie prevents her daughters from believing Bernie prevents her daughters from believing in themselves by constantly undermining them.in themselves by constantly undermining them.

She frequently reminds them that they have She frequently reminds them that they have failed in all their attempts to make something of failed in all their attempts to make something of themselves: that Marty failed to make it at themselves: that Marty failed to make it at college and Melly failed in numerous college and Melly failed in numerous hairdressing jobs.hairdressing jobs.

She questions whether they will ever achieve She questions whether they will ever achieve anything:anything:““What’s the odds of any of you lot making your What’s the odds of any of you lot making your own way in the world?own way in the world?


Bernie psychologically imprisons her daughters Bernie psychologically imprisons her daughters by undermining themby undermining them(This is the same point as on the previous (This is the same point as on the previous slide, but from a different angle)slide, but from a different angle)

None of them have successfully found an None of them have successfully found an escape, which their mother tells them is due to escape, which their mother tells them is due to their own lack of spirit:their own lack of spirit:

““There’s none of your sisters had the There’s none of your sisters had the gumption to get themselves a man or a job or a gumption to get themselves a man or a job or a life outside this scheme and I doubt you’d be life outside this scheme and I doubt you’d be any different”any different”


She physically contains the girls in the She physically contains the girls in the flat following their father’s death:flat following their father’s death:

““I don’t want any of you putting a I don’t want any of you putting a foot round the door until I say so.”foot round the door until I say so.”


Bernie also imprisons Mary, her elderly Bernie also imprisons Mary, her elderly mother.mother.

Mary is ignored and locked up throughout Mary is ignored and locked up throughout the play, except when she manages to the play, except when she manages to escape:escape:

““Will you get her out of here?” she Will you get her out of here?” she orders her mother’s careworker.orders her mother’s careworker.


Adie is the only member of the family Adie is the only member of the family who is prepared to stand up to her who is prepared to stand up to her mother to try and rebel against their mother to try and rebel against their unhappy living conditions.unhappy living conditions.

From the very beginning of the play, she From the very beginning of the play, she protests against being cooped up in the protests against being cooped up in the house:house:

““We can’t just stay locked up till – “We can’t just stay locked up till – “


Bernie’s control and manipulation of her Bernie’s control and manipulation of her daughters’ lives ultimately leads to the daughters’ lives ultimately leads to the suicide of her youngest daughter.suicide of her youngest daughter.

Bernie ruins Adie’s attempt to run away Bernie ruins Adie’s attempt to run away by leading Adie to believe she killed the by leading Adie to believe she killed the man she wanted to be with.man she wanted to be with.

Plight of the OldPlight of the Old

Just like Granny in Just like Granny in Men Should WeepMen Should Weep and Mrs and Mrs Culfeathers in Culfeathers in The SteamieThe Steamie, the grandmother, , the grandmother, Mary, is lonely and isolated.Mary, is lonely and isolated.

The cold way that her family treats her leads The cold way that her family treats her leads her to compare them to lifeless dolls and she her to compare them to lifeless dolls and she wants out:wants out:

““I’m not stopping here with these dead I’m not stopping here with these dead bits of plastic.”bits of plastic.”

Violent CultureViolent Culture

One of the reasons Adie wants to escape One of the reasons Adie wants to escape from her unhappy home is the violent from her unhappy home is the violent gang culture.gang culture.

““We’re getting away from all of you, We’re getting away from all of you, all the blood and beatings and grubby all the blood and beatings and grubby piles of filthy money.”piles of filthy money.”

Deprived UpbringingDeprived Upbringing

Bernie is bitter about the harsh social Bernie is bitter about the harsh social conditions of her childhood.conditions of her childhood.

She believes it was a great achievement She believes it was a great achievement to escape it:to escape it:

““I’ve only made it five miles from the I’ve only made it five miles from the hole I was born into and none of you hole I was born into and none of you have the strength I did.”have the strength I did.”

Women and BusinessWomen and Business

In the violent gangland that Bernie Alba lives In the violent gangland that Bernie Alba lives in, she is deeply worried about her family’s in, she is deeply worried about her family’s ability to survive once her husband, the only ability to survive once her husband, the only male, has passed away.male, has passed away.

She arranges a political marriage between her She arranges a political marriage between her eldest daughter and the son of another local eldest daughter and the son of another local gang to ensure their security:gang to ensure their security:

““This family’s fortune is lying on the road This family’s fortune is lying on the road where Tony dropped it and we only get to pick where Tony dropped it and we only get to pick it up now if the big boys says we can,” she it up now if the big boys says we can,” she warns the daughter who is to be married.warns the daughter who is to be married.

Lack of Loving Lack of Loving RelationshipsRelationships

Bernie seems to care more for herself and Bernie seems to care more for herself and maintaining her own world than for the maintaining her own world than for the happiness of her family.happiness of her family.

Even when Bernie grieves when her youngest Even when Bernie grieves when her youngest daughter commits suicide, she worries about daughter commits suicide, she worries about the impact on her own life, not about the the impact on her own life, not about the unhappiness that drove her daughter to unhappiness that drove her daughter to suicide:suicide:

““Look what she’s done to me!”Look what she’s done to me!”

A Loving Past?A Loving Past?

In a tender moment, Bernie recalls a In a tender moment, Bernie recalls a happier past.happier past.

When the girls were young and the father When the girls were young and the father was still alive, times were easier:was still alive, times were easier:

““Oh Adie… we’ve all been forgetting Oh Adie… we’ve all been forgetting the old times, haven’t we?”the old times, haven’t we?”


Bernie herself seems to be perpetuating Bernie herself seems to be perpetuating a cycle of bad relationships.a cycle of bad relationships.

Penny believes that Bernie has grown Penny believes that Bernie has grown bitter as a result of her unhappy marriage bitter as a result of her unhappy marriage to a violent man:to a violent man:

““You took all the rage and dissapointment You took all the rage and dissapointment Tony put in your heart and let it flow all over Tony put in your heart and let it flow all over them like lava.”them like lava.”


The grandmother, Mary, is shut away The grandmother, Mary, is shut away from the family and leads an isolated life from the family and leads an isolated life in her room.in her room.

The cold way that her family treats her The cold way that her family treats her leads her to compare them to lifeless leads her to compare them to lifeless dolls and she wants out:dolls and she wants out:

““I’m not stopping here with these I’m not stopping here with these dead bits of plastic.”dead bits of plastic.”


Mary is one of the few characters who Mary is one of the few characters who has experienced a loving relationship.has experienced a loving relationship.

She recognises the difference between She recognises the difference between her and her grand-daughters:her and her grand-daughters:

““None of them will ever be loved…None of them will ever be loved…They’ve got hearts like raisins.”They’ve got hearts like raisins.”


Penny, in contrast, loved her husband, who Penny, in contrast, loved her husband, who has now passed away, and her life was has now passed away, and her life was enriched by this love.enriched by this love.

She advises the girls to look beyond one night She advises the girls to look beyond one night stands and find meaningful, enduring love:stands and find meaningful, enduring love:

“…“…if you want to be loved your whole life you if you want to be loved your whole life you need to love people for who they are.”need to love people for who they are.”


As an outsider, Penny comments that As an outsider, Penny comments that Bernie must be happy to have her family Bernie must be happy to have her family close around her.close around her.

Bernie has clearly failed to create a Bernie has clearly failed to create a loving family unit, because she responds loving family unit, because she responds to Penny with suspicion:to Penny with suspicion:

““What have you got your spoon into What have you got your spoon into now?”now?”


As an outsider, Penny can see the As an outsider, Penny can see the damage Bernie’s controlling nature is damage Bernie’s controlling nature is doing to her family:doing to her family:

““They’d be far better out of all this They’d be far better out of all this but you won’t let them go.”but you won’t let them go.”

A Loving Relationship?A Loving Relationship?

Adie is the one member of the family who Adie is the one member of the family who displays hope and optimism.displays hope and optimism.

She has a fierce belief that she will be She has a fierce belief that she will be happier if she leaves the oppression of happier if she leaves the oppression of her loveless family to elope with Peter her loveless family to elope with Peter Romanov:Romanov:

““I’m flying, I’m soaring over the lot of I’m flying, I’m soaring over the lot of you.”you.”


Adie’s love for Peter Romanov, however, Adie’s love for Peter Romanov, however, ultimately exposes the dysfunction in the ultimately exposes the dysfunction in the family.family.

The oldest sister is supposed to marry The oldest sister is supposed to marry Romanov to ensure the family’s financial Romanov to ensure the family’s financial security, and another sister desires him security, and another sister desires him fiercely.fiercely.

Penny tries to warn her that her actions could Penny tries to warn her that her actions could destroy the family:destroy the family:

““I don’t want to spend my days in a war I don’t want to spend my days in a war zone.”zone.”

The Cheapness of SexThe Cheapness of Sex

Two characters who have known real Two characters who have known real love, the grandmother and Bernie’s bar love, the grandmother and Bernie’s bar worker, warn that the active but loveless worker, warn that the active but loveless sex life of the girls will not bring them sex life of the girls will not bring them happiness.happiness.

““No real man would love them. Men No real man would love them. Men that screw plastic dolls, that’s all they’re that screw plastic dolls, that’s all they’re fit for.”fit for.”

Documents

Contemporary Scottish Theatre: Social Conditions