Willy Russell

William Russell (born 23 August 1947) is a British dramatist, lyricist, and composer. His best-known works are Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, and Blood Brothers.

Willy Russell was born in Whiston, on the outskirts of Liverpool, where he grew up. His parents worked in a book publisher's and often encouraged him to read. After leaving school with one O-level in English, he first became a ladies' hairdresser and ran his own salon. Russell then undertook a variety of jobs, also the first play he wrote was Keep Your Eyes Down Low (1971). His first success was a play about The Beatles called John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert. Originally commissioned for the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool it transferred to the West End in 1974.Educating Rita (1980) concerned a female hairdresser and her Open University teacher. The semi-autobiographical Educating Rita was turned into a 1983 film with Michael Caine and Julie Walters. The musical Blood Brothers (1983), for which Russell also composed the music, first opened in Liverpool and transferred to London's Phoenix Theatre. It won the best actress award at the Lawrence Olivier awards. Bill Kenwright produced a revival in 1988 which has run for more than twenty years; the show was produced on Broadway in 1993. Shirley Valentine, which first opened in Liverpool in 1986 before a new production opened in London in 1988 starring Pauline Collins. It was also made into a successful film, in 1989, again with Collins in the title role. Russell received BAFTA and Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for both Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine.

Blood Brothers

Narrator:
There's a girl inside the woman
Who's waiting to get free
She's washed a million dishes
She's always making tea.
Linda:
Could I talk to Councillor Lyons, please?
Narrator:
There's a girl inside the woman
And the mother she became
And a half rememnbered song
Comes to her lips again.
Linda:
Eddie, could I talk to you?
Narrator:
The girl would sing the melody
But the woman stands in doubt
And wonders what the price would be
For letting the young girl out.
Linda:
Yeh, I remember.
Mrs Johnstone:
(singing) It's just a light romanace,
It's nothing cruel,
They laid no plans,
How it came,
Who can explain?
They just said 'hello',
And foolishly they gazed,
They should have gone
Their seperate ways.
Edward:
Hey. (He mimes firing a gun.)
Linda:
Missed.
Mrs Johnstone:
(singing) It's just the same old song,
Nothing cruel,
Nothing wrong.
It's just two fools,
Who know the rules,
But break them all,
And grasp at half a chance
To play their part
In a light romance.
Living on the never never,
Constant as the changing weather,
Never sure
Who's at the door,
Or the price
You're gonna have to pay.
It's just a secret glance,
Across a room.
A touch of hands
That part too soon.
That same old tune
That always plays,
And lets them dance as friends,
Then stand apart,
As the music ends.
Loving on the never never,
Constant as the changing weather,
Never sure
Who's at the door
Or the price you're gonna have to....

photo: US Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric C. Tretter

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Darwin Flores, from San Salvador, El Salvador, performs a dental cleaning during a Continuing Promise 2011 community service medical project.

[VIDEO]: Texas Woman Awakens From Surgery With British Accent

Edit WorldNews.com 23 Jun 2016

Lisa Alamia, a mother of three, was scheduled for surgery to fix an overbite in December 2015. The native-born Texan, who claims to have never left the U.S. with the exception of a trip to Mexico several years ago, had successful surgery and woke up with an unexpected side effect – a British accent, ABC News reported Thursday. Her doctor thought swelling was causing the condition ... – WN.com, Jack Durschlag. ....

photo: AP / Daniel Maurer

A police officer secures the crime scene at a car dealer in Wendlingen, Germany, Thursday, March 12, 2009. The 17-year-old gunman opened fire at his former Albertville high school in Winnenden, southwestern Germany on Wednesday, killing 15 people before taking his own li

[VIDEO]: Gunman Killed After Allegedly Taking Hostages At German Cinema

Edit WorldNews.com 23 Jun 2016

Multiple media reports say a masked gunman who entered a cinema complex in the western German city of Viernheim in the state of Hessen and reportedly held hostages has been killed.State Interior Minister Peter Beuth told parliament police stormed the Knopolis complex near Frankfurt after reports of shots fired shot the as-yet unidentified gunman dead, the Belfast Telegraph reported....

photo: AP / Chuck Burton

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she "sighs" talking about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, June 22, 2016.

Is Donald Trump right about Hillary Clinton?

Edit CNN 23 Jun 2016

(CNN)Donald Trump's much-anticipated speech attacking Hillary Clinton Wednesday seemed more designed to reassure the candidate's Republican base than to broaden his appeal to independents or Democrats ... For example, it's one thing to question the Obama administration's foreign policy, and quite another to leap to Trump's overheated conclusion ... Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched.". JUST WATCHED ... ....

photo: creative commons /

Source: VW To Pay $10.2 Billion To Settle US Emissions Scandal

Edit WorldNews.com 23 Jun 2016

One of the sources said the agreement was tentative and could change by the time terms are officially announced by the judge Tuesday.The bulk of the cash would be used to fix the cars, buy them back and compensate owners, the report said ... 18, 2015, or keeping the cars and letting the company repair them....

photo: GFDL / Hadi

File - Hall in the Musei Capitolini (Capitoline Museums) in Rome, where the European Constitution was signed on 29 October 2004 and where the European Economic Community had formally been founded in 1957 with the Treaty of Rome .

Britain and the EU: the story of a very rocky marriage

Edit The Guardian 23 Jun 2016

The UK referendum on whether to stay in the EU is the culmination of 70 years of a love/hate relationship. @jonhenley. Rejection and flirtation ... Detached from the continent physically and culturally, it did not need Europe, and showed it by sending a mid-ranking trade official, one Russell Bretherton, to the treaty signing – as an observer ... This time the brush-off came from Europe, or more specifically France ... Twitter ... Doubts and drama ... ....

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England Athletics U23/U20 Champs - Day two wrap-up (UK Athletics)

Edit Public Technologies 20 Jun 2016

(Source. UK Athletics) 19 June 2016. Another nine athletes secured their ticket to the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz in July during an exciting second day of the England Athletics U23 and U20 Championships in Bedford ... A delighted Corbishley said. 'I feel absolutely shattered ... Evans said ... In the women's equivalent, Finette Agyapong (Coral Nourrice) held off Alisha Rees (Willy> Russell) to win the U20 women's 200m in 23.74....

Congressman Cohen Commemorates 151st Anniversary of Juneteenth (Steve Cohen)
Edit Public Technologies 19 Jun 2016
(Source. Steve Cohen). [MEMPHIS, TN] - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) issued the following statement commemorating the 151st anniversary of Juneteenth and recognizing the 23rd Annual Celebration of the Juneteenth Urban Music Festival, formerly known as the Memphis Juneteenth Freedom & Heritage Festival . ... Benjamin L. Hooks, Dr ... Willis, Russell Sugarmon, B.B. King, Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Memphis Slim, Furry Lewis, Ida B ... (noodl....

Athletes impress on Day Two at Bedford (England Athletics)
Edit Public Technologies 19 Jun 2016
(Source. England Athletics). The second day of the England Athletics U23 and U20 Championships produced more great competition and impressive performances ... Medway & Maidstone, Coach ... Tonbridge, Coach ... Finette Agyapong (Newham & Essex Beagles, Coral Nourrice) impressed in women's 200m as she pulled away to win in 23.74 (+1.8) ahead of Alisha Rees (Edinburgh, Willy> Russell, 24.11) and Jazz Crawford (Blackheath & Bromley, Piotr Spas, 24.62)....

A great day of competition at the Under 23 & Under 20 Championships (England Athletics)
Edit Public Technologies 18 Jun 2016
(Source. England Athletics). The athletes lit up a grey day at Bedford with a string of great performances ... City of Stoke, Coach ... The silver medal went to Katie Stainton (Club ... Mid Sutton AC) took bronze with 6.06 ... She took the title in 11.49 (-0.5) by overhauling the fast starting Hannah Brier (Swansea, Neal Merry) who came home second in 11.65 with the bronze medal going to Alisha Rees (Edinburgh, Willy> Russell, 11.83) ... Injury survey....

Educating Rita, entertaining audiences (Whitehorse City Council)
Edit Public Technologies 17 Jun 2016
(Source. Whitehorse City Council). Educating Rita, entertaining audiences. 17 Jun 2016. Those who recall the award-winning movie Educating Rita will embrace the chance to relive this great story at the Whitehorse Centre next month. Whitehorse Councillor Raylene Carr said this stage version was also the perfect opportunity for those new to this brilliant comedy by playwright Willy> Russell to experience its delights ... When ... Where ... Bookings....

Weekend update (UK Athletics)
Edit Public Technologies 06 Jun 2016
(Source. UK Athletics) 6 June 2016. European 10,000m Cup, Mersin, Turkey, 5 June. Britain's women's team won team gold at the annual European Cup 10,000m in Mersin, Turkey ... 18 year old Hannah Brier (Neal Merry) clocked a season's best of 11.47 (-0.1) to win the 100m ahead of 17 year old Alisha Rees (Willy> Russell), Brier inside the World Junior Championship qualifying mark and Rees inside the European Youth Championship equivalent....

South and Vale team show age is no barrier to fun and fitness (Vale of White Horse District Council)
Edit Public Technologies 26 May 2016
(Source ... A special thank you to all the competitors that represented Team South and Vale; Anne Pullin, Simon Ratiff, David Lawrence, Elisa Snook, Jeff Lester, Georgina Lewington, Patrica Roberts, Raymond May Iryna Klobzar, Chris Lawrence, Martin Stenzhorn, Nick Neil, Peter Cannon, Gill Smith, Brian Hook, Ana Fiocco, Gilberto Fiocco, Jim Stagg, Tim Waite, Philip Milton, Steve Willis, Russell Lewis, Bernard Jennings and Paul Sexton....

Great chemistry makes 2nd Story's 'Rita' a winner
Edit The Providence Journal 09 May 2016
WARREN, R.I. — There was a time when it was a rare occurrence to find Ed Shea on stage ... But more and more he's been taking on acting roles, which has paid off big time in the theater's current offering, Willy> Russell's charming "Educating Rita."Shea, who is sporting a full beard, plays a hard-drinking poet once the darling of academia who is now a washed up professor. He's terrific in the part, [...]> ... ....

Theater in Ireland breaks new ground
Edit Topix 28 Apr 2016
Irish theater continues to thrive with leading companies maintaining not just a high level of quality but hosting an impressive diversity of performances, including an excellent production of the classic Willy> Russell play, 'Educating Rita' at Belfast's Lyric Theatre recently ... ....

All-DMU cast to perform Willy Russell play at Curve theatre (De Montfort University)
Edit Public Technologies 26 Apr 2016
Students from De Montfort University (DMU) are performing at Leicester's Curve theatre this week in Our Day Out, a much-loved musical by multi-award winning playwright Willy> Russell ... 'Getting to meet Willy Russell was both surreal and inspiring ... Meeting Willy Russell has made us more determined than ever to do the play justice.'....

'Across the Universe' director may bring new Beatles show to Broadway
Edit The Examiner 08 Apr 2016
A new Beatles show on Broadway is being discussed, according to a report April 8 by Broadway.com ... The report says the new show, however, would not be a Broadway version of the movie and would be a totally different project ... in a judgment in June, 1986. An earlier version of the Beatles on Broadway was “John, Paul, George, Ringo & Bert,” a fictional story by Willy> Russell about a fan named Bert McGhee who imagined he was a Beatle ... ....

There are too many books in this world to read: Hayley Doyle
Edit Khaleej Times 10 Mar 2016
What book(s) are you reading right now?. Right now, Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) is beside my bed, and I am listening to the audiobook of Ruby Wax's A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled ... The Wrong Boy by Willy> Russell, plus lots of Marian Keyes books inspired me to become a fiction writer ... ....

Professor Thacker brings seven Manchester Theatre Awards back to Bolton (University of Bolton)
Edit Public Technologies 08 Mar 2016
(Source. University of Bolton). Posted on Tuesday 8th March 2016 ... Professor Thacker, Associate Artistic Director at Octagon Theatre Bolton, was also presented with a Special Achievement Award by Manchester Theatre Awards chairman Kevin Bourke ... He is famous for his well-documented close relationship with Arthur Miller and has worked with writers such as David Edgar, Trevor Griffiths, Tom Kempinski, David Lodge and Willy> Russell ... (noodl....

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Russell, Willy Filmography

Russell, Willis Filmography

Willy Russell

ALBUMS

Blood Brothers (1995 studio cast)

Hoovering the Moon

Blood Brothers: The International Recording (1995 London studio cast)

Blood Brothers (1995 London cast)

Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers (1983 original London cast)

Blood Brothers (1995 London cast)

Blood Brothers

[VIDEO]: Texas Woman Awakens From Surgery With British Accent

[VIDEO]: Gunman Killed After Allegedly Taking Hostages At German Cinema

Is Donald Trump right about Hillary Clinton?

Source: VW To Pay $10.2 Billion To Settle US Emissions Scandal

Britain and the EU: the story of a very rocky marriage

You can search using any combination of the items listed below.

England Athletics U23/U20 Champs - Day two wrap-up (UK Athletics)

Congressman Cohen Commemorates 151st Anniversary of Juneteenth (Steve Cohen)

Athletes impress on Day Two at Bedford (England Athletics)

A great day of competition at the Under 23 & Under 20 Championships (England Athletics)

Educating Rita, entertaining audiences (Whitehorse City Council)

Weekend update (UK Athletics)

South and Vale team show age is no barrier to fun and fitness (Vale of White Horse District Council)

Great chemistry makes 2nd Story's 'Rita' a winner

Theater in Ireland breaks new ground

All-DMU cast to perform Willy Russell play at Curve theatre (De Montfort University)

'Across the Universe' director may bring new Beatles show to Broadway

There are too many books in this world to read: Hayley Doyle

Professor Thacker brings seven Manchester Theatre Awards back to Bolton (University of Bolton)