How and why are each of the characters trapped in “Our Day Out”

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How and why are each of the characters trapped in “Our Day Out”

By Jenna Sweet.

Willy Russell was born in 1947 at Whiston near Liverpool. He was recognised as ‘thinking’ working class. He left school at the age of 15 with just one ‘O level’ gained in Technology. Willy Russell had uncertain ideas about his potential career, however he often thought of fulfilling his desire and becoming a writer. Paradoxically, he became a hairdresser. Subsequent to this he followed his desire to write, producing a range of songs. This obsession overwhelmed Willy Russell and it began to take over his hairdressing profession. Willy Russell began to work for several industrial companies. Still not content, he decided to depart to his full- time education. Willy Russell studied at St Catherine’s College of Education where he became a dramatist. This led to his first play ‘Blind Scouse’.

In 1977 ‘Our Day Out’ was published. At this particular duration of society, many people were suffering from unemployment. England was in deep recession. The coal miners went on strike; the factories were suffering from lack of employment.  Liverpool was in chaos. Willy Russell demonstrated this chaos in the play Our Day Out. He showed the poor education system; this highlighted how Liverpool needed aid to avoid the riots that were happening there in the late 1970’s. Indeed this reflected the mood in society as a whole.

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Our Day Out is structured in a number of short scenes thus keeps the audience attention. Willy Russell has cleverly decided upon this as it gives an effect of a moving journey, the main aspect of the play, a journey through the education system. Unlike performances in the Shakespearean period, a 20th century audience would want to watch it for its amazing effects, rather than a less ordinary language. Willy Russell wanted a common language that everyone is familiar with therefore he chose to set the scene in Liverpool. Liverpool is a place Willy Russell knew well according to his ...

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