One of the most celebrated writers of his generation, Willy Russell has given us a phenomenal array of writings and paintings across his long career.

Russell was born in 1947 in Liverpool, with his more than four decades-long career starting at just 15, when he left school. He became a women’s hairdresser and part-time singer/songwriter before he went back into education and became a teacher.

Willy Russel at home. Photo credit: Anita Schiffer-Fuchs. Source: willyrussell.com.

You may have heard about his breakthrough work: John, Paul, George, Ringo…and Bert, which was commissioned by the Liverpool Everyman. This musical about The Beatles ran for a then-unprecedented eight weeks before moving to the West End, where it stayed for a year. In 1974, it won the Evening Standard and London Theatre Critics awards for Best Musical.

Russell is a man of many talents, showing no sign of stopping his creative genius.

A Phenomenal Playwright

His more notable works are Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, and Blood Brothers.

Educating Rita which was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and premiered in 1980 starring Julie Walters and Mark Kingston. It has since been translated and produced across the globe, and a film was produced in 1983 with Julie Walters and Michael Caine. Russell received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay.

You can see this hilarious comedy on stage at the Grand between 16th March and 21st March 2020. 

Shirley Valentine, written in 1986 for the Liverpool Everyman before going over to the West End, focuses on a middle-aged, working-class housewife from Liverpool. The story follows her before and after a transforming holiday abroad in the form of a monologue. The play won an Olivier Award for Comedy of the Year and also had a successful run on Broadway.

Blood Brothers is a tale about nature versus nurture, focusing on fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie. Separated at birth, one is raised by a poor family with the other is raised by a wealthy family. It won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, becoming the third longest-running musical production at West End with 24 years.

Willy Russell’s The Wrong Boy

Willy Russell with Laura Dos Santos and Bill Nighy at a Radio4 recording of Educating Rita. Source: willyrussell.com.

Russell’s first novel, The Wrong Boy, was published in 2000 and received positive criticism. Raymond Marks is just a normal boy from a normal town until the wake of the Transvestite Nativity Play Scandal. 15 boys, a number of flies, and an intimate part of the male anatomy – Raymond’s world is never the same again.

A heart-wrenching story of a boy and an incident that changes his life forever, The Wrong Boy is full of Liverpudlian wit and wisdom.

If you love Willy Russell’s work, make sure to book your tickets for Educating Rita on at the Grand between 16th March and 21st March 2020.Get in touch with our Box Office by giving us a call on 01253 290190.