Alan Durband pounds by means of innovative seven-year tax-free covenants for the conversion of the building. It was a popular theatre specialising in local Liverpool settings & political subjects which gave opportunities to new playwrights – most famous of whom is probably Willy Russell (to whom Durband lent his Welsh cottage to write 'Educating Rita') and to actors such as: Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce & Julie Walters who joined the Theatre company around 1975. To mark this era, Willy Russell unveiled a plaque in memory of Alan Durband at the theatre in 1998 in the company of actor Pete Postlethwaite
Educating the East End 2011. Ten sixty-minute episodes were commissioned; the first eight were shown from September to October 2014 with the other two episodes acting as "specials". The original title for the series was "Educating Walthamstow" but shortly before transmission the title was changed to "Educating the East End". Before filming began Twofour advised Smith to get into contact with the headteachers of "Educating Essex" and "Educating Yorkshire". They both reportly gave advice on handling the attention and stayed in contact throughout the filming process. After the first episode was broadcast, "The Guardian" gave a favourable review, calling the show "funny, moving and