Willy Russell was born in Whiston near Liverpool and left school at fifteen. He went through a succession of jobs before, at the age of twenty, he decided to take 'O' levels and 'A' levels and become a teacher. At about the same time he saw John McGrath's play Unruly Elements at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, and decided he wanted to become a playwright. His plays include: ONE FOR THE ROAD, STAGS AND HENS, EDUCATING RITA, BLOOD BROTHERS and SHIRLEY VALENTINE.