Blood Relations’ unique structure, first-person dive into Lizzie Borden’s inner experience, and characterization of an accused murderer as a victim of an oppressive patriarchal system, have been met with a mixed reception since the play's premiere in 1980. Sharon Pollock was honored with the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama for Blood Relations in 1981; critic Frank Rich also wrote a scathing review of the play in a 1983 edition of the New York Times.
Described by Anne Nothof in program notes for the 2003 Shaw Festival production of the play as “a trial by theatre, in which the audience participates as judge and jury -- and as accomplice”, Blood Relations goes further than...
