HISTORY
Commissioned by the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, Willy Russell's Shirley Valentine premiered in 1986 directed by Glen Walford. In 1988, under the direction of Simon Callow, it opened in the West End, winning the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, and starring Pauline Collins, who went on to play Shirley on Broadway (winning a Tony Award) and in the 1988 film (winning a BAFTA Award and Oscar nomination).
Commissioned by the RSC, Willy Russell's Educating Rita was first performed at The Warehouse, London, in June 1980 and later transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre. The production starred Julie Walters and Mark Kingston and won the Society of West End Theatres award for Best Comedy. Julie Walters went on to play Rita in the BAFTA award-winning film version with Michael Caine as Frank. Both received BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards and Oscar nominations for their performances.
Willy Russell is one of the country's favourite dramatists – with Blood Brothers now in its 21st phenomenal year, and recipient of Oscar and BAFTA nominations for his adapted screenplays for both Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine.
This is the first time Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine have been staged in London since they premiered in the eighties. Both shows sold out at the Menier Chocolate Factory earlier this year to huge critical acclaim.
