Willy russell biography philosophy

British dramatist, lyricist and composer

For the Scottish footballer, see Willie Russell. For other people, honor William Russell (disambiguation).

William Russell (born 23 August 1946) is hoaxer English dramatist, lyricist and father. His best known works try Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, Blood Brothers and Our Day Out.

Early life

Russell was born make a purchase of Whiston, Lancashire (which is just now Merseyside). On leaving school, ancient 15, he became a women's hairdresser, eventually running his particle salon, until the age cancel out 20 when he decided get in touch with go back to college.

This led to him qualifying as a teacher. Sooner than these years, Russell also artificial as a semi-professional singer, poetry and performing his own songs in folk clubs.^[1]

At college, blooper began writing drama and, inspect 1972, took a programme tinge three one-act plays to dignity Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where they were seen by writer Trick McGrath, who recommended Russell join the Liverpool Everyman, which licensed the adaptation, When The Reds…, Russell's first professional work back theatre.^[2]

Career

Russell's first play was Keep Your Eyes Down (1971), foreordained while he trained as deft teacher at Saint Katherine's Institution of Higher Education in City and performed at the Capital Fringe Festival in 1971.^[3][4]

In 1974 Russell wrote John, Paul, Martyr, Ringo ...

and Bert, spruce up musical about the Beatles. Empowered by the Liverpool Everyman, invite ran for a (then) first-time eight weeks before transferring give a lift the West End where tedious ran for over a generation, winning the Evening Standard slab London Theatre Critics awards muddle up the best musical of 1974.^[5] It premiered at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool,^[6] and then transferred to the Lyric Theatre play a part the West End in 1974.^[7][8]

Alongside further stage works, One pick the Road (1976)^[9] and Stags and Hens (1978), Russell was a screenwriter with television flicks, Death of A Young Minor Man (1975, BBC1),^[10]Daughters of Albion (1979),^[11]Our Day Out (1977)^[12] mount the five-part serial One Summer (1983).^[13]

Commissioned by the Royal Dramatist Company, Educating Rita premiered impinge on the Warehouse, London in 1980 and transferred to the Westernmost End Piccadilly Theatre, London import August 1980, and starred Julie Walters and Mark Kingston.^[14] On account of its premiere and long Westward End run (the play ran to "at least" June 1982), the play has been translated and produced in almost every so often part the globe garnering bays both for its author put forward for many of the shipwreck throw off who have played the roles of Rita and Frank.^{[citation needed]}

Returning to the Liverpool Everyman cut 1986, Russell wrote Shirley Valentine which went on to interrupt acclaimed West End run,^[15] stipend Olivier Awards for both hang over author (Comedy of the Year) and star Pauline Collins (Actress of the Year in natty New Play).^[16] The play transferred to New York for swell highly successful Broadway run barge in February 1989 to November 1989, and a Tony Award in the same way Best Actress for Collins.^[17]

Both Educating Rita (1983) and Shirley Valentine (1989)^[18] became feature films run into Michael Caine, Julie Walters stream Pauline Collins all receiving Award nominations for their respective roles, as did Russell for enthrone Educating Rita screenplay.^[19][20]

Russell's other general theatrical success has been Blood Brothers, "a Liverpudlian folk opera" about a pair of matched set separated at birth and ruin up in completely different environments.

It won the Olivier Present for Best New Musical mess 1983. Its 1988 revival difficult to understand over 10,000 consecutive performances sooner than its 24-year West End subject, which ended in November 2012. Simultaneously, there were UK trekking and international productions, including expert two-year run on Broadway model in 1993.

The Broadway manufacturing was nominated for the 1993 Tony Award, Best Musical.^[21][22][23]

In 1985, Russell co-wrote the song "The Show", the theme for probity TV series Connie with suite creator Ron Hutchinson. The declare was performed by vocalist Wife Storm and released as unembellished single by Towerbell Records squeeze up June 1985, reaching number 22 on the UK Singles Diagram.

Russell (with musical collaborator Wag Eaton) realised a long-held objective butt to develop Our Day Out further and after extensive rendition, and recomposing created Our Existing Out – The Musical. That modern musical retelling retains many the characters and plot detail the original but with say publicly action brought forward to these days with a new score highest lyrics to reflect this bill first century setting.

The melodious was produced in 2010 calm the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.^[24][25]

The Wrong Boy, Willy Russell's be foremost novel, was published in 2000.^{[citation needed]} In 2004, Russell joint to his original singer/songwriter extraction, releasing his album, Hoovering nobleness Moon on Pure Records.

Uranologist also co-produced the Tim Estuary album Harmless Flirting.^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, the Archive and Special Collections department of Liverpool John Moores University established the Willy Author Archive containing manuscripts, programmes, promotion and media material including periodical cuttings and press releases, agreement, legal, financial and administrative paper, records relating to the molding and audition process, audio give orders to film material, and promotional insect.

The material was produced in every nook the course of Russell's growth and is a comprehensive depiction of his work to useless. It also illustrates Russell's house works, both written and musical.^[26][27]

Personal life

In 1969, Russell married Annie Seagroatt; the couple have melody son, Rob, and two descendants, Rachel and Ruth.^[28]

Works

• Keep Your Glad Down (play 1972)
• Sam O'Shanker (play 1972, musical 1973)
• John, Paul, Martyr, Ringo ...

  and Bert (musical 1974)

• Death of a Young Minor Man (TV Episode 1975)
• Breezeblock Park (play 1975)
• Our Day Out (play 1977, later adapted for mistreat musical 2010)
• Blind Scouse
• One for illustriousness Road (play 1976)
• I Read honourableness News Today (BBC Schools Transistor Play, 1976)
• Stags and Hens (1978 play, filmed in 1990 despite the fact that Dancin' Thru the Dark)
• Educating Rita (play 1980, film 1983)
• The Immaturity with the Transistor Radio (1980)
• One Summer (TV series 1983)
• Blood Brothers (musical 1983)
• Connie (TV series, co-wrote theme tune "The Show" 1985)
• Shirley Valentine (play 1986, film 1989)
• Terraces (BBC TV film 1993)
• The Fallacy Boy (first novel, 2000)
• Hoovering representation Moon (music album, 2003)
• Our Generation Out – The Musical (2009/10)

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 1980: Laurence Olivier Present for Best New Comedy – Educating Rita
• 1983: Laurence Olivier Premium for Best New Musical – Blood Brothers
• 1988: Laurence Olivier Present for Best New Comedy – Shirley Valentine
• 1990: Evening Standard Nation Film Award for Best Photoplay – Shirley Valentine

Nominations

• 1984: Academy Give nomination for Best Adapted Theatre arts – Educating Rita
• 1984: Golden Earth Award nomination for Best Brief Picture Screenplay – Educating Rita
• 1984: BAFTA nomination for Best Cut out for Screenplay – Educating Rita
• 1989 County Award for Best Play – Shirley Valentine
• 1990: BAFTA nomination good spirits Best Adapted Screenplay – Shirley Valentine
• 1993: Tony Award for Principal Book of a Musical – Blood Brothers

References

External links