Woman of African Descent
Archie describes a female singer he'd seen during his military service who was belting out a hymn. He refers to her as a "Negress" and describes her as being fat, not particularly attractive, and not much to look at. But she sang with such passion and emotion that Archie envied her ability to feel so much and so deeply. He believed that, if he could achieve the same level of emotional connection and put it into song, he would be truly satisfied with his performance. The raw emotion and power in her performance is truly a life-changing experience for him, and in comparison his own skills as an entertainer, while polished, seem hollow, lacking, and "dead". He actually wishes he was the old woman and not himself, so that he could experience what it would feel like to perform that way.
When he gets word of his son Mick's death, Archie finally feels an emotional blow severe enough to make him imitate the woman's performance. Instead of reacting with his customary sarcasm or with a quick change of subject, he breaks into a spiritual. Yet it is not in front of his chosen audience.
During Billy's funeral scene, Scene 11, the script calls for a procession and dance featuring a woman similar to the one Archie described. Her voice sings "I Must Tell Jesus" and she mimes to the music, taking Billy's hat, glove, and cane. Symbolically, she is picking up the trappings of his successful show business and carrying them with her to reflect the success of the new up-and-coming American musical tradition, which relies heavily on African-American contributions. The implication is that the "Negress"-- a woman, not a man, and a woman of color as well-- shall carry the artistic torch for Billy instead of his son Archie.
Alcohol
The Rice family use alcohol to show respect for one another and to show trust. They consume it together as a family bonding exercise. As a show of respect, Jean brings her stepmother Phoebe a bottle of her favorite gin. To the Rice family, refusing a drink of alcohol is offensive. When Billy refuses to drink with Archie because he is tired and wants to go to bed, Archie becomes belligerent. When Jean declines a drink during Mick's premature welcome-home celebration because she has a bad feeling about his return, Phoebe accuses her of not liking Mick or wishing him well.
Spotlight
The spotlight, an old-fashioned stage lighting technique that was common in vaudeville before moving lights and more complex forms of stage lighting had been invented, is used to highlight Archie Rice in the scenes where he is supposedly performing in his music-hall act. It is not a modern image at all, and serves to show how out of date and out of touch Archie's act is. At the end of the play, in the final scene, the spotlight suddenly snaps out, leaving the scene in darkness. Archie Rice is gone, but the music remains. This ties Archie to the spotlight literally, highlighting the fact he has been tied to it figuratively throughout the play. When the spotlight is gone--when the music-hall closes and the show is not playing anymore--Archie, in a way, ceases to exist.
Canada
Clare, Phoebe's niece, has offered jobs to anyone in the family who wants to move to Canada to work in the family hotel business. At the end of the play, Bill offers to buy one-way tickets for Phoebe, Archie, and Frank. Jean asserts a preference for staying with Phoebe. To much of the family, Canada represents a fresh start. Archie, who has been there before, speaks dismissively of the experience although while he was there in the military he saw a life-changing performance by a singer of African descent. Archie rejects the notion of going to Canada because his favorite beer would not be available, and also he doesn't like the idea of working in a hotel. It's possible he's actually afraid to get any closer to the source of his original inspiration lest he continue to compare himself to a purer and more authentic entertainer.
