- 8th February
- STAGS & HENS
The reviews are flowing
in for STAGS & HENS - The Remix, which is running
until the beginning of March at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool.
You can read some of the reviews, including one from THE STAGE
on the STAGS & HENS page  .
- 1st February
 STAGS
& HENS
Willy Russell's STAGS
& HENS - The Remix opens tonight (Friday 1st Feb)
at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool. First produced 30 years
ago, the play tells of a couple who, by coincidence, spend the
night before their wedding in the same Liverpool venue. You can
read some of the interviews Willy has given in the build-up to
STAGS & HENS here...
-
- The production which runs
from 1st February to the 1st March 2008 is directed by Bob Eaton
with Eithne Brown as Assistant Director. You can book STAGS
& HENS on 0870 787 1866.
- 28th January
- FRONT ROW - RADIO
4
Willy will be interviewed
tonight (Monday 28th Jan) by Mark Lawson on Radio 4s Arts Programme
FRONT ROW. The programme begins at 7.15pm and you can
'listen again' for the next week via the BBCs website.
- 23rd January
- HOOVERING THE MOON
Pure Records is relaunching
Willy Russell's CD HOOVERING THE MOON (WR1-PRCD24) and
you can now buy on-line from its website <purerecords.net>. The CD contains 14 original compositions
and features Kate Rusby, Barbara Dickson, Iain Mathews, Tim Firth
plus Andy Roberts who co-produced the album with Willy. Mike
Harding described Willy Russell as "one of the country's
great songwriters". The album is also available
as an iTunes download from Apple.com ©.
Hear a handful of songs on the 'SONGWRITER'
PAGE.
- 18th January
- Courting favour with
Willy Russell
Philip Key also chatted
to Willy Russell prior to STAG & HENS (... a Comedy
Classic) opening at Liverpool's Royal Court theatre at the
beginning of February. Read the interview on the Liverpool
Daily Post website
STAGS & HENS runs from 1st February to the 1st
March. You can book on 0870 787 1866.
- 15th January
- STAGS & HENS
Willy took time out from
rehearsals for STAGS & HENS to chat to Joe Riley,
Liverpool Echo reporter, about Liverpool's 08 Capital of Culture
and his hopes for a permanent acting company in Liverpool. Read
the interview on the icLiverpool website
- 4th January
- BLOOD BROTHERS
As BLOOD BROTHERS
kicks off Liverpool's Capital of Culture year, the musical -
first performed a quarter of a century ago, is gathering great
reviews. The stars, Lyn Paul as Mrs Johnstone, Sean Jones, Mark
Hutchinson, Keith Burns and Vivienne Carlyle all receive praise
for their performance. Read the reviews ...
- 19th December
- STAGS & HENS -
30th EDITION!
The
dates and cast for next year's production of STAGS & HENS
at the Liverpool Royal Court is complete and includes, for the
Hens - Rachel Rae (Linda), Gillian Hardie (Bernie) [Gillian
has previously played Linda in Blood Brothers], Suzanne Collins
(Carol), Laura Dos Santos (Francis) and Keddy Sutton (Maureen).
The Stags include Stephen Fletcher (Peter), James Spofforth (Eddie),
Kevin Harvey (Robbie) [Kevin can be seen in Dancin' Thru The
Dark], Danny O'Brien (Kav), Lenny Wood (Billy) and as the
Roadie, Shaun Mason.
- The production which runs
from 1st February to the 1st March 2008 is directed by Bob Eaton
with Eithne Brown as Assistant Director. You can book STAGS
& HENS on 0870 787 1866.
- 31st October
- WILLY RUSSELL INTERVIEW
In the build up to his
'An Evening With Willy Russell at the Lowry, Willy Russell has
given an interview to WHAT'S
ON STAGE.COM in which
he talks about BLOOD BROTHERS… The Movie,
Liverpool and the capital of culture celebrations, his love of
Slava’s Snow Show and his future plans, including his forthcoming
date in Manchester. You can see the interview on their website.
- 21st October
- THE WRONG BOY
THE WRONG BOY is, once again, being serialised on
"OneWord", Channel 4's digital radio. You can hear
Willy Russell reading his first novel twice each day on DAB digital
radio, and on Sky, Freeview, Virgin Media cable or the internet
- www.oneword.co.uk.
- 21st October
- STAGS & HENS UPDATE
Willy is delighted to report
that auditions for Stage & Hens continue to reveal an astonishing
wealth of young acting talent. "From the two auditions we've
already held, we could put two quite separate superb casts together
- and we've still got more to see." Stags & Hens will
open at the Royal Court Theatre in February 2008.
- 20th October
- WRITING LIVERPOOL
Just published by Liverpool
University Press is Writing Liverpool: Essays & Interviews
edited by Deryn Rees-Jones and Michael Murthy. This collection
of essays and interviews addresses the wide range of writing
that has emerged from Liverpool and includes an a piece on Willy
Russell, interviewed by John Bennett. Writing Liverpool: Essays
& Interviews is available from Liverpool University Press;
ISBN 9781846310744.
- 16th October
- STAGS & HENS
The production of Stags
& Hens at the Royal Court will rehearse in January and open
in February. We don't have the exact dates yet but will post
them here as soon as they are confirmed. Bob Eaton will be directing
and he and Willy are currently casting for the show. The first
auditions took place last week with another round of auditions
later this week. Both Willy and Bob Eaton have seen some really
exciting young actors which is an excellent start. Contact the
Royal Court theatre if you want to audition.
- 9th October
- STAGS & HENS
Open auditions for the
Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre's opening Capital of Culture
year show were announced recently. Would-be stage stars can showcase
their acting skills in front of Willy Russell. His comedy STAGS
& HENS launches the theatre's 2008 programme. Royal Court
manager Kevin Fearon said today: "The auditions for Stags
and Hens will be for anyone, whatever their experience. Willy
wants to see new blood. "Willy will be involved in the auditioning,
design and marketing of the play. This season is our gift to
Liverpool." Many of the theatre's regular repertory troupe,
such as Andrew Schofield and Eithne Browne, will also be involved.
Willy Russell said: "A theatre once on the brink of oblivion
is now bursting with vitality. "I'm delighted Stags and
Hens will be part of the season."
- 24th September
- EDUCATING RITA
A new student edition of
EDUCATING RITA has just been published by Methuen Drama.
For anyone studying the play or simply interested in background,
origins etc., it's a really excellent edition with notes and
commentary from Steve Lewis. More details from www.acblack.com
- 20th September
- HOOVERING THE MOON
Willy Russell's highly
acclaimed album, HOOVERING THE MOON, is now available
as a iTunes download from Apple.com ©. The CD contains 14
original Willy Russell compositions and features Kate Rusby,
Barbara Dickson, Iain Mathews, Tim Firth plus Andy Roberts who
co-produced the album with Willy. Mike Harding described Willy
Russell as "one of the country's great songwriters".
Hear a handful of songs on the 'SONGWRITER'
PAGE.
- 17th September
BLOOD BROTHERS
- KICKS OFF THE CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2008
- Liverpool's Capital Culture
year will be ushered in with a special New Year's Day performance
of Willy Russell's smash hit musical Blood Brothers.
-
- Producer Bill Kenwright has
booked performances at the Empire Theatre on December 31 and
January 1, ensuring that the international hit is the launch
theatre show for the city's 2008 celebrations.
-
- Today there was the promise
of a 'big name' to play the lead role of Mrs Johnstone, the mother
of tragic twins, created by Barbara Dickson at Liverpool Playhouse
25 years ago.
-
- Since then, the show has taken
four awards as best musical in London and captured seven Tony
awards on Broadway.
-
- Empire manager Hannah Collins
said: "What better way to start Capital of Culture than
with a Liverpool show from a Liverpool playwright, staged by
Liverpool?s very own theatre producer. "Sell-out houses
time and time again have proven how Liverpool has taken this
show to its heart.
- "It is the ideal curtain-raiser
to an exciting year of events."
-
- During the past six years
alone, more than 180,000 people have seen productions of Blood
Brothers at the Empire.
-
- The musical was already booked
to run there for two weeks from January 7, but now Bill Kenwright
has advanced the date to make it the big entertainment launch
for the European cultural programme.
-
- The early evening December
31 performance will begin at 4pm with the New Year's Day performance
at 7.30pm.
-
- Former stars of Blood Brothers
include Linda Nolan, Kiki Dee, Lyn Paul and Stephanie Lawrence.
- The actor Con O'Neill, a former
usher at the Empire, famously played one of the twins, Mickey.
-
LIVERPOOL
ECHO - JOE RILEY
- 23rd August
- From Today's TIMES
Willy Russell’s musical
play Blood Brothers was first produced in Liverpool in 1983 and
is still running in London after 20 years. He says: “If
I’d thought all those years ago it would still be around
when I was 60 I’d have tried harder when I was writing it.”
He has recently completed a screenplay with Sir Alan Parker.
“Now we’re waiting for someone to come along with the
£40-£50 million that we need to film it.” Two
other well-known plays he has written, Educating Rita and Shirley
Valentine, both feature heroines striving to change their lives.
Russell himself left school at 15 with one O level and became
a hairdresser before returning to finish his education and to
train to be a teacher in Liverpool. Now he says he is back as
a student: “I’ve discovered I have a passion for drawing
and it has opened my eyes to a new way of thinking.” He
will not be celebrating his birthday. “I am against big
parties and hate being the centre of attention in that way because
I don’t deserve it.” Willy Russell is 60 today
- 8th August
- EDUCATING RITA - PARIS
There have already been
two highly successful productions of EDUCATING RITA in
a city where successful runs of British plays are the exception
rather than the norm; in 1982 at the Theatre Marigny the role
of Rita was played by French film star, Anemone, who was also
responsible for the
translation. In 2003 another young French film star, Mathilde
Seigner took to the stage in the role of Rita, playing it to
great acclaim at the Theatre des Champs Elysees. Both productions
were directed by Michel Fagadeau. Now it has been announced that
a new production of EDUCATING RITA will open at the Théâtre
Mouffetard (followed by a tour) with comedienne/actress Adriana
Santini taking the role of Rita and actor/director Pierre Santini
taking the role of Frank (which he also played in the 2003 production).
This production will be in a new translation - by Adriana Santini.
SEE MORE INFORMATION
ON THE 'WHAT'S ON' PAGE.
- 2nd August
- BRITISH FILM FOREVER
As well as the interview
with Bristol's community radio station, BCFM on Friday
3rd August (see below), Willy Russell and his work will also
be featured in BRITISH FILM FOREVER, to be aired on Saturday
4th August on BBC2. The series this week takes a look at the
story of love and the more liberated times of women on the big
screen. In addition, EDUCATING RITA will be screened the
following evening, Sunday 5th August at 9pm, again on BBC2.
- 11th July
- Willy Russell on Community
Radio
Willy Russell recently
recorded an interview with Joanne Schofield from Bristol's community
radio station, BCFM (formally Radio19). The interview
features an hour long chat with Willy interspersed with some
of his favourite music tracks and will be aired on Friday 3rd
August between 2pm - 3pm. If you live in the Bristol area you
can listen by turning the dial to 93.2fm or on-line by
going to www.bcfm.org.uk.
- 28th June
- What would you like
to see on WILLY RUSSELL.com?
Over the coming months
we plan to give WillyRussell.com a fresh look and introduce
new features, and we would like your help to shape the new website.
We are asking visitors to the website to let us know if you have
ideas for features and new additions. You can contact the webmaster
by clicking the GUESTBOOK link.
- 25th April
- NEW Newsletter
We have now loaded the
new newsletter onto the website. In this newsletter, Willy Russell
answers some of the questions visitors to the guestbook have
raised during the past year, talks about future plans, and why
he gave the chip star billing over the egg in SHIRLEY VALENTINE!!
To read the latest Newsletter click here.
- 30th March
- A NEW Mrs Johnstone
Helen Hobson will take
over the role of Mrs Johnstone from Maureen Nolan in the production
of BLOOD BROTHERS currently running in the West End. Helen
is no stranger to the role and has played both Mrs Lyons and
Mrs Johnstone in the past. She comes to BLOOD BROTHERS
direct from playing the lead role of Donna in Mamma Mia!, also
in the West End.
- 29th March
- NEW Newsletter
WillyRussell.com is currently
preparing a new newsletter which will be emailed to all visitors
to WR.com. In this newsletter, Willy Russell will answer some
of the questions visitors to the guestbook have raised during
the past year, talk about recent events, and plans for the future.
To read an earlier Newsletter click here.
- 2nd February
- SONGWRITING COURSE
- Willy Russell will co-tutor
a songwriting course with Tim Firth at Ty Newydd, the National
Writer's Centre for Wales. Although students will not be expected
to have a formal training in music, the course will involve a
strong element of performance and each student will be expected
to have sufficient musical ability to accompany him or herself
on a chosen instrument. The course runs from March 12–17
at the centre's residential centre near Cricieth. More information
and booking at www.tynewydd.org.
- 15th January
- WRONG BOY on the Radio...
- The latest guestbook entry,
from John Hayward, has alerted WR.COM to the news that WRONG
BOY is currently serialised on "OneWord", Channel
4's digital radio. You can hear "OneWord" from 6am
to midnight everyday on DAB digital radio, and 24 hours a day
on Sky, Freeview, ntl cable and on the internet - www.oneword.co.uk.
- 22nd December
- EDUCATING RITA &
SHIRLEY VALENTINE in Christmas TV Schedules...
- Two of Willy Russell's films
are included in the Christmas TV schedules this year. EDUCATING
RITA features on Film4 on Wednesday 27th December.
The Radio Times describes the film as "A joy from
start to finish". SHIRLEY VALENTINE is also
screened the following day (Thursday 28th December) on Sky
Movies 2. Both receive four star ratings - don't miss them.
- 16th October
- WILLY RUSSELL URGES
NEW WRITERS TO STAND UP!
- Willy Russell urged the city's
aspiring writing talent to stand up and be prepared to fail as
he performed readings from his worksin his home city. The writer
was joined by a capacity crowd at John Moores University last
night as he read from some of his best-known books and took questions
from an enthralled audience.
-
- 15th September
- BLOOD BROTHERS EXTENDS
- YET AGAIN!
- BLOOD BROTHERS has extended its booking period by
seven months to 1 September 2007. Bill Kenwright’s production
first opened on 27 August 1988 at the Albery Theatre before transferring
to its current home at the Phoenix Theatre in November 1991.
- 1st September
- AN EVENING WITH WILLY
RUSSELL
- For anyone living in or around
West Yorkshire, Willy Russell will be talking about his career
and answering questions in a special charity event to raise money
for writers in prison, at The Trades Club, Holme Street, Hebden
Bridge on Sunday 1 October starting at 8pm. The Trades Club is
a members club but non-members are more than welcome! Buy tickets
in advance to avoid disappointment (MORE DETAILS ON THE 'WHAT'S ON' PAGE), or turn up on the night.
- 23rd July
- READINGS
- Willy Russell will be appearing
at several Literature Festivals during September and October.
The locations are; Wigtown Book Festival; Chester Literature
Festival; Liverpool John Moores University and the Birmingham
Book Festival. Some venue and other information is yet to be
confirmed. We will update this detail as it becomes known. For
further information, see the 'WHAT'S
ON' page.
- 14th July
- BLOOD BROTHERS - the
movie
- After 25 years as a musical,
Willy Russell's BLOOD BROTHERS could be turned into a
film. Willy has spent the past few months working with Alan Parker
to produce a screenplay for BLOOD BROTHERS - the movie.
Willy said: "I've finished the script and along with Alan
Parker I'm extremely happy with the result". Several of
Willy Russell's plays (EDUCATING RITA, SHIRLEY VALENTINE
and STAGS AND HENS/DANCIN' THRU THE DARK) were
turned into films and proved a great success with both audiences
and critics.
- 29th May
- THE WAY WE WRITE
- The Way
We Write: Interviews with Award-winning Writers, is the title of a
new book by Barbara Baker and features an in-depth interview
with Willy Russell. This book is a unique collection of new interviews
with award-winning writers - novelists, poets, playwrights and
children's writers who talk about how each of them actually goes
about the job of writing with interviews. It's an excellent book
which is informative, intriguing and humorous. (Continuum - £16.99)
- 21st May
- The Arvon Foundation
- Willy Russell's
latest Arvon course, on Musical Theatre, runs from Monday
7th August to Saturday 12th August at Totleigh Barton, Sheepwash
in Devon. The co-tutor will be Nick Stimson. For details of this
and other Arvon courses see their web-site www.arvonfoundation.org
- 30th April
- LINDA NOLAN
- Linda returns to the BLOOD
BROTHERS UK tour on May 1st 2006 at The Pavilion Theatre
in Bournemouth. Linda has had a break from the touring show to
undergo treatment for Breast Cancer.
- 23rd February
- BLOOD BROTHERS
Lyn Paul has made a brief
return to the musical BLOOD BROTHERS, joining the cast
of the UK touring production for performances in Nottingham,
Reading and Dartford. Lyn first starred in BLOOD
BROTHERS in 1997 and received such personal success that
she has returned to the production on numerous occasions.
- 23rd February
- DENBIGH WORDS
Willy will appear at Denbigh
Town Hall on Wednesday 8 March. Presented as An Evening With
Willy Russell, the event will feature readings from Blood
Brothers, Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and The Wrong Boy.
- 16th February
- BLOOD BROTHERS extends
its run
Blood Brothers has extended
its run at the Phoenix Theatre by over nine months. The show
was previously booking to 6 March 2006, and is now taking bookings
to 27 January 2007. This production first opened on 27 August
1988 at the Albery Theatre before transferring to its current
home at the Phoenix in November 1991.
- 10th February
- LINDA NOLAN
It has been announced that
Linda Nolan has been diagnosed with breast cancer and that she
will shortly leave BLOOD BROTHERS to begin treatment.
Her web-site, LINDANOLAN.COM says she will fulfill the Coventry
(Belgrave Theatre) and Nottingham Theatre Royal dates (until
18 Feb) and then leave the cast to undergo treatment. I feel
sure all visitors to WR.COM will join in wishing Linda all good
wishes and a speedy recovery.
- 23rd January
- CAPITAL OF CULTURE
poem
The web-site has been inundated
with requests for the poem Willy Russell read whilst presenting
the two 'Spirit of Christmas' carol concerts at the Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall in December. The poem is entitled 'Happy
Christmas from the Capital of Culture' and can be read here.
- 23rd January
- ONE SUMMER - DVD in
the shops
In the shops now is Willy
Russell's controversial series 'ONE SUMMER'. The two-disk
set also includes commentaries from David Morrissey, Ian Hart
and Spencer Leigh. This will be the first official release for
the series, which was first shown on UK television in 1983.
- 21st January
- WRONG BOY - Glen Walford
Glen Walford will run a
workshop exploring Willy Russell's acclaimed first novel 'THE
WRONG BOY'. The workshop will run on the 8th & 9th February
at the Actors Centre in London. ...and as Glen says on her website
(LINKS PAGE) it will be essential to bring a generous
heart and flexible spirit.
- 28th December
- Original BLOOD BROTHERS
CD to be re-released
The original London cast
recording of Willy Russell's musical BLOOD BROTHERS is
due to be re-released in January. The recording, features Barbara
Dickson, the very first Mrs Johnstone.
- 18th December
- Christmas at the Liverpool
Philharmonic
- Willy Russell will be presenting
two 'Spirit of Christmas' carol concerts at the Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall prior to Christmas. Get into the spirit of
Christmas with Ian Tracey - conductor, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Choir and the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir. The dates are
Wednesday and Thursday, 21st and 22nd December. Both concerts
begin at 7:30pm. More information from the Box Office on 0151
709 3789.
- 5th November
- One Summer DVD
- After the announcement earlier
in the year that WR Ltd had reached agreement with Granada Media
over the DVD and video rights for the television series, ONE
SUMMER, it has been announced that the DVD of the series
is due for release in January 2006. This will be the first official
release for the series, which was first shown on UK television
in 1983.
- 7th August
- Willy Russell on the
radio
- Willy Russell will be a guest
on the Radio4 programme Word 4 Word. Dermot Murnaghan
will introduce a series of live investigations of dialect and
the way we talk locally, from contemporary slang to centuries-old
sayings. The programme is aired at 9.00am on Wednesday 10th August
and repeated the same evening at 9.30pm. Don't forget if you
miss it you can 'Listen Again' via the BBC web-site.
- 1st July
- SHIRLEY VALENTINE
returns to the Everyman Theatre
- The Everyman Theatre is hosting
a production of Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell. The show
will star Pauline Daniels in the title role and is part of the
Liverpool Comedy Festival. The one-woman play was originally
commissioned for the Everyman Theatre in 1986.
- 10th June
- NEW Newsletter
WillyRussell.com recently
mailed its third Newsletter to all wr.com visitors. In this newsletter,
I talked to Willy Russell about questions visitors have raised,
recent events and the tour of music and words from last year.
-
- 13th April
- ONE SUMMER
- WillyRussell.com is delighted
to be able to announce that after negotiations, WR Ltd has reached
agreement with Granada Media concerning the DVD/Videogram rights
in ONE SUMMER. Granada Media is now free to release the
title in this format. We will have more on this and other news
in our next Newsletter which is due soon.
- 4th April
- BLOOD BROTHERS
- Yet another of the talented
Nolan sisters will perform the role of Mrs Johnstone in BLOOD
BROTHERS when Maureen Nolan follows in the footsteps of her
sisters, Bernie, Denise and Linda (currently returning to the
UK touring production). Maureen Nolan, who is a huge fan of the
show, will portray Mrs Johnstone from the 11th April at the Phoenix
Theatre in London's West End.
- 21st March
- ONE FOR THE ROAD
- ONE FOR THE ROAD, originally written in 1976, is set
for a short season at The Theatre Royal in Nottingham. The central
character, Dennis, on the eve of his 35th birthday, realises
that he is trapped by convention and social climbing - wife,
mortgage, not to mention the re-occurring Willy Russell themes
of Tupperware parties and foreign holidays! The play runs from
20th June - 25th June and the Theatre Royal Box Office number
is: 0115 9895555
- 20th March
- BLOOD BROTHERS in
Cork
- BLOOD BROTHERS continues to attract both local and
visiting audiences as it moves to Cork after a successfull few
weeks in Dublin. "The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly
The Gaiety Theatre... ... We went to see the fabulous ‘Blood
Brothers’. I shouldn’t really go into detail here
as it might not be there when you visit Dublin, but it was fantastic!
Willy Russell and the cast built us up and knocked us down; fantastic!
(Written by a visitor
to Dublin - from dooyoo.co.uk)
- 31st January
- BLOOD BROTHERS
- Rebecca Storm's portrayal
of Mrs. Johnstone is attracting great reviews as she begins a
three month stint in Willy Russell's BLOOD BROTHERS. "...the
actress holding the play together is Rebecca Storm who plays
Mrs Johnstone. Her acting and singing are faultless and this
evening she is most definitely the matriarch of Blood Brothers."
Read more about the outstanding performances from this current
tour of BLOOD BROTHERS.
-
- 27th January
- BLOOD BROTHERS in
the West End
- Willy Russell's Liverpool-set
musical about twin brothers separated at birth, BLOOD BROTHERS,
has extended its booking period by seven months until the 29
October 2005. This production first opened on 27 August 1988
at the Albery Theatre before transferring to its current home
at the Phoenix in November 1991.
- 9th January
- BLOOD BROTHERS
- Rebecca Storm returns to her
first-ever musical theatre role playing the part of Mrs Johnstone
in BLOOD BROTHERS, starting its new touring season at
Sheffield Lyceum later this month. Rebecca will star in this
role for the next three months, taking the show to Dublin and
Cork. Linda Nolan will move her portrayal of Mrs Johnstone to
the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End.
- 16th December
- BLOOD BROTHERS 2005
- The UK tour dates for the
first six months of 2005 have been finalised and are now added
to the BLOOD BROTHERS tour pages. Book your tickets early
for this successful musical.
- 3rd December
- Professor of Theatre
Studies
- Today, Willy Russell will
be welcomed as Visiting Professor Of Theatre Studies at a ceremony
at the Liverpool Hope University College. At a separate event,
also at Hope, Willy will introduce extracts from his work in
conversation with Stephen Pratt as part of the Cornerstone Festival.
- 15th November
- SHIRLEY VALENTINE
- DVD
- Shirley Valentine is now available in DVD format and
is on sale at a shop near you. Just in time for Christmas. What
a stocking filler! Paramount Home Entertainment - PHE8445
- 15th November
- BLOOD BROTHERS - Finland
- A new production of Blood
Brothers is currently running at the Teater Jacob in Jakobstad,
Finland. The production runs until 17th December.
- 3rd November
- Willy Russell interview
with Mike Harding - Radio 2
- Mike Harding's Radio 2 show
on the 10th November will feature an interview with Willy Russell.
The interview was recorded during Radio 2's 'LIVE IN LIVERPOOL'.
Mike's show goes out on 88-91FM between 8.00pm - 9.00pm - Wednesday
10th November.
- 2nd November
- Willy Russell at the
Everyman Theatre
- The 40th Birthday celebrations
continue for the Everyman Theatre. On Sunday 21st November, the
Everyman will host a star-studded Gala which will be a fundraising
event for the Life Begins Fund for new Liverpool writing.
-
- 23rd October
- BLOOD BROTHERS CHALLENGE
- Theatre nut Julie Wakefield
reckons the stage is in her blood...well, Blood Brothers
at least.
- Julie claims to be the show's
biggest fan having seen it an incredible 2,000 times. And she
plans to see almost every performance during its two week run
at Birmingham Hippodrome and in this article from the Birmingham
Evening Mail is challenging Blood Brothers fans to beat
her record. Does anyone else want to challenge her record? If
so, let us know....
-
- 7th October
- Willy Russell on the
Radio
- Mike Harding's Radio 2 show
'LIVE FROM LIVERPOOL' was a tremendous success with Willy
and the band playing to a packed and enthusiastic audience at
the Rawhide club in Liverpool's Central Hall. On Tuesday evening,
Willy was a guest on the Mark Radcliffe show, live from the Liverpool
Cavern. Don't forget you can 'Listen Again' to
both these shows via the BBC Radio2 web site. We have some photos
of Willy Russell and the band.
- 27th September
- More Willy Russell
on the Radio
- Mike Harding's Radio 2 show
on the 10th November will feature an interview with Willy Russell.
- 21st September
- Tickets for Mike Harding
Show in Liverpool
- Mike Harding's Radio 2 show
comes live from Liverpool on 6th October. All tickets are free
and can be obtained by calling the Radio 2 ticket line on 08700
100 200. Lines are open from 7.00am - 12.00midnight seven days
a week. Calls are charged at the national rate.
- 20th September
- Willy live on Mike
Harding Show
- The Radio 2 Mike Harding Show
on 6th October, will come live from Liverpool. Willy Russell
will perform on the show which also features Janis Ian and Ralph
McTell, and will sing Tupperware Girls & China.
Willy be joined by Tim Firth, Andy Roberts, Loreto Murray, Emily
Jackson and Gavin Kaufman. The show goes out on 88-91FM between
8.00pm - 9.00pm. You can also 'listen again' via the BBC website.
- 3rd September
- CARL WAYNE
Lead singer in the Move,
The Hollies and Narrator in Blood Brothers, dies peacefully.
- "I was really shocked
and saddened to hear that Carl had died and at such a relatively
young age. I admired him enormously and always felt that Blood
Brothers benefitted tremendously from his presence in the cast.
Carl was always so enthusiastic about his role in Blood Brothers
and was such a positive, warm and generous man. I think Carl
was one of those rare and blessed men who are able to get the
very best out of whatever it is they set their minds to; and
in so doing he enhanced the lives of those who, like myself,
were fortunate enough to know and work with him. My thoughts
go out to his family and close friends whose sense of loss must
currently be almost unbearable."
WILLY RUSSELL
- 1st September
- EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
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