Willy Russell Teacher Q&A

This webinar by Stage-ed is a question and answer session with Willy Russell himself. During the 90 minute webinar Willy answers a range of questions put to him by teachers and students on Blood Brothers. Stage-ed was founded in 2012 by Michael Southern and Stephen Palfreman while they were starring in Blood Brothers in the West End. The Stage-ed team visit schools with a masterclasses and workshops both in the UK and internationally. Both Steve and Mike spent more than 20 years in the show, so they know it inside out.

For most Drama teachers, Blood Brothers is an essential text, whether it's at A level, GCSE, for monologues and duologues, as the basis for devising or suggestions for an audition piece, we are all extremely familiar with it. I'm one of the many teachers who has taught Blood Brothers for years, so to see Willy Russell answer the same questions I've discussed so many times is a real treat. It is fascinating to listen to Willy talk about where the idea for the show came from and his decisions on its structure before he even started writing it. He discusses many of the ideas you as teachers will have discussed with students and offers a wonderful insight into his actual opinions on the many questions we've debated over the years.

The webinar sees Willy reflect on the themes in Blood Brothers, the relevance of the play today, its social-historical context, the much-debated role of the narrator, and offer us the assurance that once a play has been handed over to an audience, we are free to interpret it as we will, that it then belongs to us and our opinions are just as valid as his. The webinar also offers some insights into Russell as a writer and his methods and influences.

Over the past few months many of us will have become accustomed to meeting people via Teams or Zoom, and watching the webinar feels like you're watching live – especially as many of the questions asked are ones we are familiar with. I loved watching Willy Russell speak about this play and students will really get a great deal out of watching this. The webinar would give you lots to work with and would provide several lessons-worth of work and discussion. Whether you are teaching Blood Brothers for Drama or English, this webinar is a must-watch.

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/playwright-willy-russell-answers-all-your-blood-brothers-questions