Willy Russell archive

The archive of celebrated Liverpool playwright Willy Russell

Willy Russell is a playwright and musician whose work has enjoyed worldwide success and acclaim. He is best known for plays Educating Rita (1980), Shirley Valentine (1986), Our Day Out (1977) and the musical Blood Brothers (1983). Willy Russell’s works have been translated into numerous languages and won multiple awards for both theatre and film.

Further works include:

the screenplays for the award winning film adaptations of Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine
John, Paul, George, Ringo…and Bert
Stags and Hens
Breezeblock Park
When the Reds...
One For the Road
One Summer
Terraces
The Daughters of Albion

Willy Russell's first novel, The Wrong Boy, was published in 2000. Russell has provided the musical scores for the feature films, Shirley Valentine, Dancin' Thru The Dark and Mr Love, as well as for the TV series Connie and the television play Terraces. Willy Russell released his first album, Hoovering the Moon, in 2003.

The Willy Russell archive

The Willy Russell archive collection contains:

manuscripts
programmes
publicity and media material, including newspaper cuttings and press releases
correspondence
legal, financial and administrative documents
records relating to the casting and audition process
audio and film material
promotional ephemera

The material was produced throughout the course of Willy Russell’s career and is a comprehensive representation of his work to date. It also illustrates Willy Russell’s collaborative works, both written and musical.

The archive is an excellent resource for research into modern theatre, graphic design, creative writing, literature and linguistics. The collection has been catalogued and is available for access.

You can find additional information at Willy Russell's website.

Willy Russell’s life and work

Having left school at 15, Willy Russell worked as a hairdresser and as a shelf-stacker in a warehouse. He returned to education at the age of 20 and attended St Katherine’s College to train as a teacher. Willy Russell began to write while at Saint Katherine’s and a collection of his early works was presented by the college at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1972.

While working as a teacher, Willy Russell continued to write for the theatre and for television. He produced several television dramas for the BBC, including Our Day Out, which was first broadcast in 1977. Much of his early theatre work was produced at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, including:

John, Paul George, Ringo…and Bert
When The Reds…
Breezeblock Park
Stags and Hens

The Everyman Theatre archive collection has also been deposited with Liverpool John Moores University, and contains related and complimentary material.

During the 1980s, Willy Russell wrote Educating Rita for the Royal Shakespeare Company, which premiered in London. The play has been performed all over the world and was made into a film starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine. The screenplay was written by Willy Russell.

Russell wrote and composed Blood Brothers, which premiered in Liverpool. The play has been in continuous production in the UK since 1987. Likewise, Russell’s Shirley Valentine, which premiered at the Everyman Theatre, transferred to the West End and was adapted for film, starring Pauline Collins. Willy Russell wrote the screenplay and music.

During the 80s, Russell’s other work was also shown, including: the premiere of One For The Road, the television drama One Summer, the composition of the theme for the television series Connie and the film Mr Love.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Willy Russell produced his first album, Hoovering the Moon, and performed on multiple tours, including Words on the Run with Merseybeat poets Adrian Henri, Brian Patten, Roger McGough, as well as the musician Andy Roberts and The Singing Playwrights with writer Tim Firth. He also wrote the screenplay for the film Dancin’ Thru The Dark, an adaptation of his play Stags and Hens and a novel entitled The Wrong Boy, to wide critical acclaim.

Willy Russell has won:

the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy for Educating Rita (1980) and for Shirley Valentine (1988)
the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical for Blood Brothers (1983)
the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Screenplay for Shirley Valentine (1988)

Willy Russell has been nominated for:

an Academy Award
a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay
a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Screenplay for Educating Rita (1984)
a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay for Shirley Valentine (1990)
Tony Awards for Best Play for Shirley Valentine (1990)
Best Book of a Musical for Blood Brothers (1993)

Willy Russell has received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University, an honorary doctorate of Literature from the University of Liverpool and is a companion of the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.