Blood Relations and Other Plays (REV Ed)

by Sharon Pollock, Diane Bessai (Editor), Anne Nothof (Editor)

This brand new edition features the plays that established Sharon Pollock as a major Canadian playwright and gained her many accolades, among them, the first ever Governor General’s Award for Drama for Blood Relations in 1981. Her characters are the oppressed, from the spinster Lizzie Borden in the title play, Blood Relations, to the prisoners of One Tiger to a Hill, to Leah, &quotchosen&quot daughter/mistress of rum runner Mr. Big in Whiskey Six Cadenza.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre, Feminism, School, Read For School

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2002

Reviews

[Vee]

I've tried to read Pollock before but just couldn't get into it. I read Blood Relations and was hooked. I finished it in one night and couldn't put it down. I would love to act in it sometime, parcticularly the role of Lizzie/Bridget, and it may well be one of my favorite plays yet.

[Brad]

If you're in it for blood you may be disappointed by Blood Relations, but if you are in the mood for a reflection on how responsibility for crime is shared by us all you will likely be thrilled. I have a feeling this is much better on stage than lying dormant on the page.

[Tijana]

My english class and I went out to see a production of "Blood Relations" out at the University of British Columbia a few days ago, and so I decided to borrow this book from my teacher and read the play afterwards. The production was amazing, and so was the play.

It was so deliciously creepy, and I felt unsettled through most of the second act, something which I reveled in. It's amazing to see the Actress so quickly become Lizzie, and her character was my absolute favourite. The ending was mind-boggling and once again, creepy and unsettling, and spectacular for those reasons.

If you like creepy plays where you legitimately end up with chills and shivers down your back, this is for you.

[Anya]

blood relations was whacky whacky, but kinda good at the same time. another english class book checked off the list

[Leslie Goddard]

What a brilliant, tightly knit play about Lizzie Borden. Pollock interweaves many of the known facts about the Borden murders with imagined stories of the broader background and context — the imaginary part presented, quite creatively, as something “imagined” by an actress. Not everything is strictly factual (Abbie isn’t historically known to have been resentful or shrewish towards her stepdaughters, for example, and the uncle character is presented here as Abbie’s brother, not Andrew’s first wife’s brother as the real-life John Morse was) but still. I’m perfectly willing for the author to take some liberties with strict historical accuracy for the broader goal of a powerful and convincing storyline.

[In fact, after reading the script, I was wondering why Pollock left out certain details (considered important to the story by observers at the time and ever since): the paint-stained dress that was burned, the poison Lizzie might have tried to buy, the bolted front door, etc. but then of course, these might well have been either innocent things, irrelevant to Lizzie’s experience of the events, or outright untrue and therefore, again, irrelevant to Lizzie.]

I was really intrigued by how totally convincing I found the motivation for Lizzie to do what (many believe) she did. And I loved the ending, which pulls the audience into accountability. A thoughtful and powerful rumination on 19th century female powerlessness and rebellion. Might be the best of the many theatrical representations of the Borden case.

[Saira Hadi]

Reviewer be aware I only read the first play Blood relations, I only needed to read it for class.

This was a very interesting perspective on women's place in society in the older days. This is the play where the iconic playground saying of "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks" It explores mental breakdowns in a unique way and the impact of re-marrying on adult children.

It's worth a read, however it will leave you thinking.

The only reason it's not getting 5 stars is because school made me read it.

[Nami]

I very much enjoyed the relation of the play with Lizzie Borden. :)
Quite cynical and well thought out.

Well, this was an amazing read and play as well! Not going to lie, it was a bit confusing because The Actress is Lizzie while Miss Lizzie was the maid, so it seemed so confusing and cynical as I noticed that Pollock can easily fool the reader in thinking who the actual Lizzie is. However, you realize in the end that The Actress is actually her lover.

[Rachel]

I actually loved the play "Blood Relations" when I saw it performed at the Stratford Festival in Canada fifteen years go. Reading the script, I was actually a little disappointed by some of the stilted dialogue and confusing stage directions. The concept is still really great & the premise is intriguing. There's a fantastic final moment & I know the right actors & director can make this play shine. I just didn't love it as much as I remembered.

[Sarah Pitman]

Definitely found Blood Relations the strongest of these plays. It is the most theatrical, suspenseful, and asks great questions about storytelling and truth. One Tiger To A Hill struck me as one of the most cinematic plays I'd ever seen, great back-and-forth dialogue, high stakes, just not as much my personal style. And Generations is classic Canadian, wide cast of characters all with their own objectives. Glad I finally read some Pollock other than Doc.

[Maya]

blood relations was a hot mess, but a good hot mess

i have so many questions and not enough answers but tbh idc i still like it a lot. i think with a good prompt i can write a pretty good essay about it which would be great.

personally i think the real-life lizzie borden did it bc it just doesn't make sense otherwise

[Dave]

Three very different plays, spanning the life of Lizzie Borden, a prison hostage taking, and a family of farmers. All three are so different but glance off of important themes and focuses and they are just rich enough without being overbearing that I know I'll read them again one day. What a delight.

[Sarah]

Holy shit...

[Najwa Warraich]

Just read Blood Relations for my english class. This was creepy and definitely an interesting format. I reslly enjoyed the dramatic text and how each scene was super vivid. 4/5 stars.

[Spencer Miller]

I only read Blood Relations. It was a relatively interesting read, and quite brief. I would like to see the play.

[c]

2.5/5

[Alayna]

I read Blood Relations (none of the other plays in this collection).

[t☆]

rating: 3.5

[Jack T]

Blood relations 2/5
One tiger on the hill 1/5
Generations 3/5

[Robyn Moore]

Read this for English so I’m logging it BYE

[neener]

4.5/5

You know what this reminds me of?!? ANATOMY OF A FALL

[Carolina rocha]

short
I wish that Lizzie Borden didn't just kill her parents because of the farm

[Marc]

Blood Relations - 4
One Tiger to a Hill - 3
Generations - 2.5

[Emma]

Blood Relations has to be one of my fav plays I’ve ever read. You guys just don’t get this play like I do

[Will Thomas]

Read "Blood Relations" for my college English course. Raised some very interesting questions and got me thinking, which is all I could really ask for from a play such as this.

[Lindsey]

Three and a half for "Blood Relations" which I read for my Canadian Drama class. The play within the play was a little confusing, but I think that's just comes from reading the text and not having a visual. I don't know much about Lizzie Borden, but I didn't really sympathize with her character, nor did I think her actions (if she did murder her parents) were justified. With regards to the script, I really liked that they didn't show the ~murders, but instead had the children singing the nursery rhyme. It just added to the ambiguity of what really went down.

Pretty good, although gruesome~

[Sarath Krishnan]

Brilliant work. The blood relations needn't be a love relationship all the time. Any attempt to encroach in the freedom of individuals should be resisted. But at the same time we should not forget one thing; i.e. without a family, without a society we cannot survive on this earth.

[Rei ⭐ [TrulyBooked]]

A fascinating read. I especially loved Blood Relations. The way that it is staged is absolutely chilling. I've always been interested in the story of Lizzie Borden and seeing it played out in such a creative way made my day even though it was also disturbing in its own way.

[S.C.]

This is a complex play about the Lizzie Borden murders. I read this play for a University English class. The play uses a very unique concept and I feel like it would be much more interesting to watch in person rather than just read. Nevertheless this historical fiction play was very interesting.

[Susana M.]

Blood Relations was a really, really good play. I would love to see a performance of it. It was intense, insightful and very smart. A worthwhile read that will make you question the truth of events that are only experienced through the perceptions of others.

[Erika Nerdypants]

I saw this as a play at a Player's Guild production years ago and was enchanted.