Ingenuity and generosity

Willy Russell after his talk with
Shannon Webb
Courtesy of Jack Wilkins
 

Willy Russell knows.There's a stereotype that  those who grow up in lower socio-economic circumstances don't do well in life. But this young council estate lad grew up to be a renowned playwright and composer. of past and present? Stereotypically, those who grow up on lower socially economic backgrounds do not tend to do as well in life. But Willy's working-class Lancashire background aided his exploration and creation of his award-winning plays and novels.

Willy discussed the way his love for reading and writing at school made him look like an alien to the rest of his peers. He spoke about his mother's story telling and his father's dislike of the upper classes. Willy's life experiences impacted showed us that he is a real person, and someone a person like me (from a working class background) can relate to. The audience was in awe.

Through his varied career path - as  factory worker, hairdresser, teacher, songwriter, actor, playwright, composer - Willy always thought about writing. He described how 'shit' he was at cutting hair, yet he was a perfect listener for his customers- something many of us need when having a fresh new trim. Through his varied career paths he said he had always thought about writing.

Obviously I could go on all day about how wonderful Willy was during his talk and interview, but unfortunately I have a word limit. So I will just end by summing up the man I met in these words: Willy Russell, a man of ingenuity and generosity.


Shannon Webb

'a social war against all'

The short film, The Condition of the Working Class, sets out to explore the differences between working-class Britain in 1844 as described by Friedrich Engels and working-class Britain of today.

I was shocked, yet not surprise,d at how static this country has remained. Britain is bound by tradition, scared of change and just as in 1844, in the midst of a 'social war against all'.

Like most present, I found the film funny, charming and, most importantly, honest, conveying the struggle of hard-working people in this country.
Once again the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer. So, when will we stop living in the past, stand up and be counted? When will 1844 be a distant memory?


Charlotte Batey

Opinions that need to be heard

The Condition of the Working Class is about a group of northerners devising and performing a piece of theatre based both on their personal experiences and the book The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 by Friederich Engels. It's a very well put together film that educates the audience about life now and in the mid-nineteenth century. This film provokes questions about the way people are being treated now why there is still such a large class divide.

I'm not clear on the aim of this film or how it might change the world; however if it is to tell the majority what is being hidden by the media, I definitely feel more informed.

Of course looking into the working class Britain from the 1980s onwards you can't help but walk straight into Margret Thatcher. The film fully addressed that and even went as far as going out onto the streets of Manchester to ask the public exactly what they thought of her, and of working-class life in general. However we were told later during the Q&A that quite a few people were afraid to talk to the camera for fear of losing their jobs. This leads me to asking those in power in Britain, why should anybody be afraid to have an opinion and to state it?


Abbiee Henesy

Engels today

Today I attended the screening of The Condition of the Working Class and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I find it admirable that the directors and actors used a book written by Engels in the 1800s and related the theories to contemporary society. Some of the points from that book are still very relevant in modern times.

In this production, the experiences of working class people are shared. This is quite rare which implies that there are still some issues in society that are ignored.

Some of the actors spoke about accents and how this can be a barrier, especially for aspiring actors. As a man with quite a strong northern accent, I can definitely relate to that particular problem.

The Q&A session held at the end of the screening gave guests the opportunity to ask the directors questions about the production. This was a useful way to consolidate the knowledge gained from the film.

I would thoroughly recommend watching this film as it is both enjoyable and educational.

Harry Singh Panesar