An evening with the "world's worst hairdresser"

Fresh from a viewing of his play Our Day Out at Leicester’s Curve theatre, Willy Russell created a relaxed atmosphere for all in the filled lecture hall last night. He gave a refreshingly frank account of his life and career from the comfort of his chair, with a glass of what seemed to be red wine at his side.

 
With song-writing, playwriting, and teaching under his belt, the self-proclaimed “world’s worst hairdresser” enlivened the interview with candid anecdotes and hilarious digressions. He also included animated readings from Blood Brothers and Shirley Valentine which were not only inspiring, but entertaining too.
 
My evening off from the dread of looming deadlines was well spent!
   
Based on Russell’s “real-life experience” as a teacher, Our Day Out will be showing from Thursday 28th April to Saturday 30th April 2016, performed by De Montfort University students at the Curve theatre in Leicester.

Jade Woods

Welcome to Willy

Our Day Out, Blood brothers, Educating Rita, a few titles you may have come across in your life, whether that be during your high school years or in your spare time. These works are masterpieces of the renowned English playwright and composer, Willy Russell.

Willy Russell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Russell

Willy Russell is one of the special guests making his way centre stage to discuss his successful career, and we will also get the opportunity to hear Willy read some of his fantastic work later on in the session.

So if I still haven't managed to entice you into the event, then let me add that you will get the chance to hear about Our Day Out, the musical play happening at the Curve in April! Our very own De Montfort University students (including me) will be putting on the show! It entails a bunch of disadvantaged kids who take a lengthy journey to Lincoln Castle, stopping at various places along the way, causing chaos! It's been described as 'a poignant celebration of the joys and agonies of growing up, and of being footloose, fourteen and free from school!' This brilliant collaboration of our very own students and the Curve Leicester is definitely not to be missed!

If you are a writer or dramatist, you may regret not going to this one. Willy knows his stuff; if any of you have read any of his work, you'll understand how great his writing is. His writing gets a reaction out of you, makes you think, makes you feel something; something most aspiring writers aim to do.

An Audience with Willy Russell

7-8pm, Wednesday 2nd March @ Hugh Aston 0.10

SOLD OUT - but check HERE for returns and tickets to other events.

Get your Our Day Out tickets now at: http://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/our-day-out/

Shannon Webb

Starring Adrian Mole

 

As playwrights Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary talked about pitching the idea of an Adrian Mole musical, writing the script, finding the right cast and working with the kids, it was clear that both writers had a great deal of respect and admiration for everyone involved with the production.  

When asked about working with Sue Townsend, both Jake and Pippa’s reaction was one of fond memory and lasting impressions. They spoke about trying to capture Sue’s voice whilst writing the script, of keeping the original content and not diverging from the magic of the original books. I found it very amusing to learn that during several meetings, Sue would point out a particular line and announce “I don’t like this one, I don’t think it’s right”, only to be told “but, Sue, that’s one of yours!”

Though many famous people have stated that you should never work with children, those at Curve take a different view. Apparently the hardest working members of the cast are the also the youngest. With school classes, script rehearsals and set management all being juggled at the same time it was a pleasure to hear of how much fun the kids have been to work with.

 ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾’, opens at The Curve theatre on Saturday 7^th March. I booked my ticket the moment the interview finished.

Daniel Jensen

One crazy week and a distressing suit

I dreamt of a week with no timetable when I could just sit back and be inspired by a range of speakers.  But all that inspiration must be interwoven with the very hectic schedule of rehearsing for another cultural exchanges, as I prepare to perform in De Montfort's collaboration with that other hub of Leicester culture, The Curve.

The play, Serious Money is written by Caryl Churchill and is set after the Big Bang of the 1980s. It's about money, money and more money and the effects it can and does have on folk. Oh, and it opens on Friday 1st March.

For me, Cultural Exchanges will be an exchange. An exchange of character, persona and definitely dress code, as my character wears a distressing suit (to say the least).

I will therefore mostly be mixing up my Manda Scott, author of the acclaimed Boudicca series, with 'A Bull on my Tongue' from the revered novelist, Alan Garner. I will be adding a dash of Etherington from Serious Money (in the distressing suits), a sprinkle of the author and screenwriter Andrew Davies, and to see in which way i am headed, several helpings of postgrad and undergraduate performance bubbles.

It will be one busy, exciting, crazy, scary, intriguing, inspiring week!


Michelle Haggerty-Wood