Summary
Mickey and Eddie say goodbye briefly before Eddie moves away. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Lyons ask if he likes his new home and its proximity to trees and cows. Eddie says that he does but remains glum and disappointed. Eddie goes inside to read a book. Mr. Lyons says it sometimes takes kids a long time to adjust to their new surroundings. Mrs. Lyons remains worried, as she thinks Eddie may never be happy.
Back in their old neighborhood, Mickey rings the doorbell at Mickey's old house. A woman he does not know answers and tells him that Mickey no longer lives there. He asks if she knows where he lives now, as he got some money to ride the bus out to the country to see him. The woman says she does not and closes the door. Mickey proceeds to walk around the neighborhood aimlessly and sing "Long Sunday Afternoon." He sings about how much he misses Eddie and the two briefly sing in duet for a brief refrain: "my friend / my friend."
This song is quickly followed by "Bright New Day," sung by Mrs. Johnstone. She stands at her doorstep clutching a letter and saying that they will be moving to the country. Everyone expresses hope that this will mean that they get a fresh start in a beautiful place. They say goodbye to their neighbors and pack their things. The act ends as they arrive in their new hometown.
The second act begins after a few more years have passed. Mrs. Johnstone sings a reprise of "Marilyn Monroe." She says that their new house is great despite occasional arguing from the neighbors. She is dating the milkman, who sometimes takes her out for dancing. Sammy has continued to get into trouble at school, but thankfully has only been put on probation. She says that Mickey is now fourteen and more conscious of his appearance and his relationships with girls. Over at the Lyons' household, Mrs. Lyons is teaching Eddie how to dance before he heads off to school. At the same time, Mickey heads to the bus stop and says hello to Linda. Sammy arrives at the bus stop as well.
They get on the bus and Sammy gets into a disagreement with the bus driver that ends with him pulling out a knife and running away. Linda says Sammy appears to be sort of a hopeless case and tells Mickey to never behave like him or she will stop spending time with him. At school, Eddie has a confrontation with a teacher who tells him he is clearly bright but needs to act more humble. He also tells him that he needs to take off his locket, which he steadfastly refuses to do. In a parallel scene, a teacher asks Mickey a question in class but he does not know the answer and makes a joke about it.
Eddie returns home and his mother is incredulous. She holds a notice from the school that says he has been suspended. She asks what is so important about the locket that made him refuse to take it off. She asks to see it and he hands it to her. She sees it is a picture of Mrs. Johnstone with a baby she suspects is Eddie. However, she is surprised when he says that it is a picture of Mrs. Johnstone with Mickey that she gave him to remember his best friend. She remains unsettled and distraught.
Mickey and Linda play around together and flirt with each other. Linda sees a boy in the window and says that he looks very handsome. This makes Mickey jealous. He sings "That Guy" which details the way in which he feels his appearance fails to make him desirable to women. Eddie joins him for a duet. The song ends and the two boys run into one another and are thrilled to see each other, remarking on the years that have passed. They talk about girls and Mickey says he doesn't know what to say to Linda. They make plans to see a pornographic film together to learn more about girls.
Analysis
Two important songs are featured in this middle portion of the play: "Long Sunday Afternoon" and "Bright New Day." "Long Sunday Afternoon" is Mickey's melancholy look back at his friendship with Eddie, as he feels a new sense of emptiness in his hometown without Eddie. The song's slow sections, featuring a dramatic echo on Mickey's verses, highlight his loneliness. In stark contrast, Mrs. Johnstone's rendition of "Bright New Day" features a lively shuffle rhythm and cheerful lyrics. Her song expresses optimism about the future and is scored in such a way that clearly demonstrates it. The musical uses these highs and lows to ultimately express the same sentiment: the Johnstones' life in urban Liverpool has drawn to a close. Mrs. Johnstone is worried Sammy's problems with the law will become increasingly significant while Mickey acutely feels the loss of his best friend. Both songs express a desire for departure and new beginnings.
Violence is also a prominent theme in these pages. Sammy flashes a knife at a bus driver following a disagreement, showing that his violent behavior has continued to escalate. Mrs. Johnstone's comments also cement this impression, as the family's move to the country is largely motivated by Mrs. Johnstone's desire to keep Sammy out of jail. This scene, while seemingly minor in the overall plot, indicates that Sammy has not only continued to get into trouble, but that he has graduated from toy guns to actual weapons. Where his previous actions were more in the realm of vandalism and theft, he has moved onto real violence, the sort that could end in terrible consequences. The musical highlights Sammy's increasingly dangerous actions to show how his unchecked interest in violence begins to create larger and larger problems.
Nature versus nurture is another important theme in this section of the musical. Eddie and Mickey have two entirely different experiences of the education system. Eddie does extremely well in school and never has disciplinary problems. Mickey does poorly and often resorts to making jokes at the teacher's expense. This shows the impact of both class and upbringing on their flourishing, as they are both in possession of the same degree of natural ability. Eddie's more comfortable financial background gives him the resources and motivation to do well in school, while Mickey is given little attention or care and struggles.
Love is also a major thematic element here. Mrs. Johnstone remarks that Mickey has taken an interest in girls and has become more particular about his appearance (as shown in the song "That Guy"). His friendship with Linda has taken on a romantic undertone that he does not know what to do with. He discusses the matter with Eddie, who tells him just to be honest and straightforward about his feelings. However, his clear view of how to handle talking to Linda, and his specific suggestions, imply that he may also be harboring some romantic thoughts of his own. This all contributes to a mood of unease, as the viewer gets the sense that this briefly happy moment will lead the two boys into something terrible.
The boys' reunion in the countryside is a happy one, although it indicates that clearly they cannot be kept apart. Whether it is simply luck or the intervention of fate, Eddie and Mickey seem unaffected by the choices of their parents and the gaps created by their class divide. Their connection and the affinity they feel is strong but, as the audience knows, it will ultimately be their undoing. The musical highlights how the intensity of their friendship eventually sours, as the secret that lies beneath it is too devastating for them to withstand.
