1. Tally’s Blood
Ann Marie Di Mambro

2. Synopsis
Set in Scotland and Italy before during and after the Second World War,
'Tally's Blood' follows the growing friendship between a young Italian girl, living with her Aunt and Uncle in their 'Tally Cafe' in the West of Scotland, and a young Scottish boy.
When World War Two breaks out, the tensions and prejudices between the two families heighten as the Italian immigrants in Scotland find their home country at war with their adopted country.
Playwright and television writer, Ann Marie Di Mambro, uses the experiences of Scotland's Italian community to tell this touching and funny story about love, prejudice and understanding.

3. Who fought Who in WW2? Allied Forces Axis Powers Britain (Churchill)
France,
Australia,
New Zealand
Canada,
India
The Soviet Union (Stalin)
China (Chiang Kai-Shek
United States of America
(Franklin D Roosevelt).
Germany (Hitler) Italy (Mussolini) Japan (Hirohito)

4. Setting The play covers a 20-year period from 1936 to 1955.
Scotland (24 scenes) and Italy (7 scenes)
Settings are specific and are both indoor and outdoor.

5. The Italian Family Massimo Pedreschi (Patriarch)
Rosinella Pedreschi – his wife
Franco Pedreschi – his brother
Lucia Ianelli – their niece who lives with them since her mother (Rosinella’s sister) died.
Luigi Ianelli – Lucia’s father in Italy

6. Italian Family Tree ‘Daddy’ Pedreschi Lucia Ianelli Rosinella
Rosinella’s sister (deceased)
son
son
marries
Rosinella
marries
Luigi Ianelli
Massimo
Franco
Uncle and aunt of
daughter
Lucia Ianelli

7. The Scottish Family Adam Devlin (The dad) Mrs Devlin
Hughie Devlin – their son / brother
Bridget Devlin – their daughter / sister

8. Scottish Family Tree Mrs Devlin Adam Devlin Bridget Devlin
married
Mrs Devlin
Adam Devlin
Bridget Devlin
Hughie Devlin
Six other children

9. Rosinella Pedreschi “Nobody loves their families like the Italians”
Married
Family is everything
Fiercely protective
Pushes people away
No limits to what she will do
Controlling
Becomes cold and bitter
Fiercely nationalistic
Prejudiced
Selfish
Tries to shift the blame
Realises the error of her ways
Does a complete U-turn
“But it’s alright for me. I’m Italian.”
“It’s one thing to play around with them, so long as you marry your own kind.”
“If you knew what I’ve been through.”

10. Massimo Pedreschi
Shopkeeper
Married
Born in Italy
Moved to Scotland as a wee boy
Happy in Scotland
Shows compassion and consideration
Hard working
Own Business
Not got an easy relationship with father
Big hearted
Kind
Shocked by internment
Loves his wife deeply
Becomes distanced from his wife as she becomes cold and bitter
Becomes reconciled to his wife as she changes
“Everyone likes you”
“I used to think I had two countries, now I feel I’ve got nowhere.”
“Just you have it, Luigi…”

11. Franco Pedreschi “I won’t go all the way, I promise,”
Born in Scotland
Works in father’s shop
2nd generation Italian
In his 20’s at opening of play
Can dance well
Hot-blooded Italian male
Loving
Faithful
Loves Bridget
Signs up to fight for Britain before Italy enters the war
Dies in war fighting for the British
Defies family pressure
Proud of Italian heritage
Sees himself as British
“I won’t go all the way, I promise,”
“I wouldn’t want you to regret it.”
“I cannie be expected to spend my whole life working from morning till night in a wee pokey shop.”

12. Bridget Devlin “Just a wee Scottish tart for him to practice on.”
Hughie’s sister
Oldest of 8
Catholic
Late teens at start of play
Head of the family financially
Mother cannot cope
Supportive of others
Loves Franco
Gets pregnant
Has abortion
Encourages Hughie to follow his dream
Spinster
Bus conductress
Mid 30’s at end of play
“You should be going to the dancing, get yourself a girlfriend.”

13. Hughie Devlin
“I have waited years – Years – for Lucia. Blending into the background, knowing my place- ‘och it’s just you.”
Bridget’s brother
5 years old at start of play
Father killed in mining accident
Seen in the play aged 9
Hard working
Grows fond of Lucia
Falls in love with Lucia
Determined
Tried to become Lucia’s blood brother
Is scared his love is not reciprocated
Follows Lucia to Italy
Declares his love for Lucia
Elopes with Lucia

14. Luigi Ianelli
Lucia’s father
Rosinella’s brother-in-law
Farmer
Widow at start of play
Five sons at start of play
One daughter at start of play
Remarries and has a baby
Lazy
Greedy
Sponger
Wants his daughter to marry well
Covets his neighbour’s land
Looking for anything he can get
“When you’ve finished the clothes, you’ve to come up to the house. Ma wife’s going to teach you to clean a chicken.”
“Giachetta scozzese”

15. Lucia Ianelli “Oh, who’s that lovely wee girl.”
Adopted by Aunt and Uncle
Brought to Scotland aged 2
Spoiled
Manipulative
Learns about prejudice and racism at school
Falls in love with Hughie Devlin
Returns to Italy
Elopes with Hughie
“Oh, who’s that lovely wee girl.”
“She’s not going to Scozzia. She’s not marrying any Scozzese. She’s staying here.”

16. Structure of the play 31 scenes Chronological. Twenty years.
Large gaps in the time-line:
Act One has scenes set in 1936, 1939, 1943 and 1944.
Act Two is set eleven years later in 1955.
A cinematic structure which pushes the storyline on quickly, even when there is a break in the time sequence. It builds up a sense of tension.

17. Relevance to Scottish society
About Scotland and Scottish society – but seen through the Italian eyes of Rosinella.
The poverty of 1930s Scotland.
A lack of employment.
War.
Ambition.

18. Relevance to Scotland The dependence of young people on their parents.
Integration of foreign nationals.
The difference between the clear moral standards of the Italian community and the perceived laxity of the Scots.
Racism – on both sides, as shown by the mob on the one hand and Rosinella’s contempt for Scottish men and lack of respect for Scottish girls on the other.

19. Set
13 different scenes.
Should you be realistic or representational? Non-naturalistic
Certain pieces are essential – the ginger crates, the bin, working areas and the upstairs window.

20. Props the bottles of ginger, the letter and the kitbag, for example.
Some props are essentially set dressing
Others are essential parts of the plot
the bottles of ginger, the letter and the kitbag, for example.

21. Lighting Lighting creates mood and atmosphere Italian setting
The church, the ginger store and the ‘elopement’ scene, for example.
Italian setting
Indoor and outdoor

22. Sound
Sound sets the scene – the music, the off-stage party.

23. Costume
Reflects time
Reflects place – Italian dress would be different
Reflects social conditions (wealth) or the characters

24. Language Realistic working class Glaswegians.
Italian phrases or speech patterns introduced
Scenes set in Italy
Device of having characters speak in the Glaswegian dialect although they are supposedly speaking Italian enables the audience to understand dialogue though Hughie cannot.
Children’s vocabulary and sentence structure

25. Comedy, wit and humour
This is a predominantly comic play, though serious issues are dealt with.
Much comedy arises from the use of dialect and the sharp Glasgow wit.
The relationships between characters are another source of comedy.

26. Acting style/techniques
Realistic, naturalistic acting. Ordinary people in extraordinary situations
naturalism but non-naturalistic settings
Monologues (Massimo on Italy; Massimo on internment) have naturalistic sound/feel
Dialogue is brisk and witty, like a stage routine.(Popular Tradition)

27. Rioting mob is unseen, except in silhouette, and the whole drama of the situation must be created by their off-stage shouts and by the reactions of the victims on-stage.
Occasionally two scenes run simultaneously (for example, the first part of Act Two, Scene Twelve).

28. Actor/audience relationships
The actors speak directly to the audience.
The actors speak their thoughts aloud.
The characters age 20 years in the course of the play. If the same actor plays Lucia throughout, she has the problem of persuading the audience to believe in her as a child.
The actor playing Hughie has the same problem. It is easier for the actors who begin as adults to age 20 years credibly.

29. Stage directions The actors speak directly to the audience.
Decisions about staging left to the director and designer.
Clear indications of how scenes should be paced – ‘A beat’, ‘Pause’, ‘Lucia hovers’ and ‘Hughie hovers’.

30. Few descriptions of the physical appearance of the characters.
Some decisions are left to the director: ‘he starts to batter them (or whatever)’; ‘maybe gets hanky out …’.
Stage directions are often informal – ‘mildly miffed’, ‘could use “mooch”’, ‘nice wee hat on’. This helps to indicate to the actor the mood of the moment.

31. Relevance to Scottish society
About Scotland and Scottish society – but seen through the Italian eyes of Rosinella.
The poverty of 1930s Scotland.
A lack of employment.
War.
Ambition.

32. Relevance to Scotland The dependence of young people on their parents.
Integration of foreign nationals.
The difference between the clear moral standards of the Italian community and the perceived laxity of the Scots.
Racism – on both sides, as shown by the mob on the one hand and Rosinella’s contempt for Scottish men and lack of respect for Scottish girls on the other.

33. Target audience Scots, especially, perhaps, those of foreign blood.
Those concerned about how Scotland has developed since 1930’s – diversity of past influences, conflicting pressures of different ethnic backgrounds, changing relationships within society.
Young people, identifying with generation gap
Those with an interest in history, religion and/or racial integration

34. Nationalism Two nationalities are involved – Scottish and Italian.
Differences in their national characteristics are important but there are similarities, too – religion, family ties, hardships.

35. Characters
One important character, Luigi, has only a very brief appearance at the beginning of Act One, and is in fewer than half the scenes in Act Two.
One influential character – Massimo’s father – does not appear at all but we hear a great deal about him and recognise his influence on his sons and daughter-in-law.

36. Character Relationships
– Franco and Massimo. Strong brotherly affection which survives even their bitter fight over enlistment. Massimo covers for Franco, deceiving their father. Franco is a little jealous of Massimo’s break with their father.

37. – Franco and Bridget. Although Franco does enjoy his status as a heroic figure, he does seem to be genuinely in love with Bridget, prepared to risk his father’s wrath and boasting about her to Rosinella, in spite of her hostility to Scottish girls.

38. – Lucia and Hughie. They begin as childish sparring partners and they never quite lose this fun element in their relationship. This makes it harder for Hughie to speak up and change the nature of their friendship.

39. – Lucia and Rosinella. Rosinella is devoted to Lucia, forgetting that she may have to lose her some day. Her lack of children of her own makes Lucia all the more important to her. She spoils Lucia and finds it hard to discipline her. Lucia, as a youngster, ruthlessly manipulates her aunt, well aware of Rosinella’s devotion to her. As she gets older, she finds Rosinella’s care for her becoming stifling and she hurts Rosinella with a bitter outburst.

40. – Luigi and the others. Luigi is driven by self-interest and a desire for possessions. We see some of his sly ability to control others reflected in his daughter. He sees Massimo and Rosinella as legitimate targets, even offering to let them pay for Lucia’s wedding to Mario. He uses Lucia as a slave, presumably having treated his wives in the same way.

41. – ‘Daddy’ and the others
– ‘Daddy’ and the others. Though sulking because Massimo has opened his own shop, Daddy still expects help from him and Rosinella, demanding that the latter cut his toe-nails for him. (A task which she willingly undertakes, recognising her place as a woman in the family.) In Massimo’s account of the scene at the camp at Bury, his father becomes a very different person – a small, frightened, lost old man.