title
does any one know why Potter named the play 'brimstone treacle'
I looked up what brimstone and treacle was and it was used as a
laxative in Victorian times.
I believe (but may be wrong) it's an old expression about the different ways of sharing the Gospel and converting people to Christianity. A little like our modern references to the "carrot and stick" method of persuading people. Brimstone = making them terrified of Hell/consequences so they join up out of fear, Treacle = offering them something sweet so they'll join up for the promised reward. I believe it was observed that a good preacher or teacher would use the correct mix of both.
Potter's use of it as the title is probably for a couple of reasons - 1) Martin is the Devil (Brimstone) but he behaves in a sickly-sweet way (Treacle). 2) Martin is evil/demonic (Brimstone) and actually does nothing other than selfish acts of evil but his acts result in a lot of good. In both versions, his actions cause Pattie to recover but in the TV version more than the film, Martin forces the father to address his casually racist attitudes and beliefs and teaches the mother to stand up for herself more. The whole family are better people for Martin's actions, despite him being pure evil.
The TV version begins with a quote: "There resides infinitely more good in the Demonic than in trivial man."
www.amazon.co.uk/Adam-Greenwood/e/B00A681FH8
www.amazon.com/Adam-Greenwood/e/B00A681FH8