How does the playwright, Willy Russell, make the strong, rebellious and independent aspects of Shirley’s character stand out against the dreary confines of the Liverpudlian kitchen sink setting where we first see her?

... How does the playwright, Willy Russell, make the strong, rebellious and independent aspects of Shirley's character stand out against the dreary confines of the Liverpudlian kitchen sink setting where we first see her? Willy Russell was born near Liverpool. Russell left school at 15 and became a hairdresser before changing his career to teaching where he was able to write and then to being a playwright. Willy Russell once said, "... that would mean a drastic change of course. Could I do it? I could I do something which those around me didn't understand? I would have to break away." This is relevant because the attitude in this speech comes out in his plays. In Shirley Valentine she does something drastic but doubts whether she can do it and no- one understands why she has to do it. It also shows that you can achieve what you want in life. Russell

want to read more? →