Jodie Prenger to Star in First Major Revival Tour of SHIRLEY VALENTINE

Willy Russell's heart-warming comedy Shirley Valentine premiered in 1986 and took the world by storm. In celebration of its 30th Anniversary the first major revival of this National Treasure will embark on a UK tour in 2017. Opening on Thursday 2 March in Bromley, Shirley Valentine will star much loved actress Jodie Prenger as Shirley.

With a career spanning over four decades Willy Russell is undeniably one of the most successful playwrights of his generation. His plays, including Educating Rita, Blood Brothers, Our Day Out and Shirley Valentine, have been performed across the globe and have won countless awards, they continue to be in constant production throughout the world. Shirley Valentine was adapted into an Oscar nominated film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.

Of the revival Willy Russell says; "It's now thirty years since Shirley Valentine first walked onto the page, into my life and the lives of so many others. Shirley cooked her first meal of egg and chips on the stage of the Everyman Theatre Liverpool before then hoofing it down to London where along with the cooking and talking to the wall she started picking up the string of awards she'd win in the West End, on Broadway and in the film that earned both BAFTAs and Academy Award Nominations. Since those early days Shirley has had an incredibly rich and varied life, appearing in many tongues across the globe in countless productions and being performed by many great actresses. The one thing Shirley Valentine has not done of late is extensively tour the UK. There have been approaches and plans mooted but, somehow, it's just never quite felt right and so I've resisted such efforts - until now! And what has made the difference? When producer Adam Spiegel introduced me to Jodie Prenger I knew in an instant that here was a formidable actress, one who possessed the grit and the warmth, the drive and the vulnerability, the energy and the heart to make Shirley Valentine really live again. How could any playwright resist that or deny the whole of the UK the chance to see Jodie bring Shirley to life?"

Jodie Prenger is perhaps best known for winning the role of Nancy in the West End production of Oliver! through the BBC television series I'd Do Anything. Most recently Jodie toured the UK in the classic musical Tell Me On A Sunday. She also played the title role in the national tour of the musical Calamity Jane and has starred in One Man, Two Guvnors both in the West End and on tour and as Lady of the Lake in Spamalot. Jodie is also a regular presenter on BBC Radio 2

Shirley is a Liverpool housewife. Her kids have left home and she makes chips and egg for her husband while talking to the wall. Where has her life disappeared to? Out of the blue, her best friend offers her a trip to Greece for 2 weeks and she secretly packs her bags. She heads for the sun and starts to see the world and herself very differently.

Glen Walford, director of the original production, will direct this major revival. Shirley Valentine is produced by Adam Spiegel Productions (Motown, The Last Tango, The Producers, Dance 'Til Dawn, Midnight Tango, Love Me Tender, The Mousetrap on Tour).

SHIRLEY VALENTINE | 2017 UK TOUR DATES

Thursday 2 - Saturday 4 March Box Office: 020 3285 6000

Bromley Churchill Theatre Website: www.churchilltheatre.co.uk

Monday 6 - Saturday 11 March Box Office: 0844 871 3011

Birmingham Alexandra Theatre Website: www.atgtickets.com

Monday 13 - Saturday 18 March Box Office: 0844 871 7645

Woking New Victoria Website: www.atgtickets.com

Monday 20 - Saturday 25 March Box Office: 0844 871 7651

Richmond Theatre Website: www.atgtickets.com

Monday 27 March - Saturday 1 April Box Office: 0844 871 7652

Milton Keynes Theatre Website: www.atgtickets.com

Monday 3 - Saturday 8 April Box Office: 0844 848 2700

Leeds Grand Theatre Website: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Monday 10 - Saturday 15 April Box Office: 01225 448844

Bath, Theatre Royal Website: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Tuesday 18 - Saturday 22 April Box Office: 01494 512000

High Wycombe, Swan Theatre Website: www.wycombeswan.co.uk

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 April Box Office: 0114 249 6000

Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre Website: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Tuesday 2 - Saturday 6 May Box Office: 0844 871 7648

Glasgow, King's Theatre Website: www.atgtickets.com

Tuesday 16 - Saturday 20 May Box Office: 01227 787787

Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre Website: www.marlowetheatre.com

Monday 22 - Saturday 27 May Box Office: 0115 989 5555

Nottingham, Theatre Royal Website: www.trch.co.uk

Tuesday 30 May - Saturday 3 June Box Office: 0131 529 6000

Edinburgh, Kings Theatre Website: www.edtheatres.com

Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 June Box Office: 024 7655 3055

Coventry, Belgrade Theatre Website: www.belgrade.co.uk

Monday 12 - Saturday 17 June Box Office: 01793 524481

Swindon, Wyvern Theatre Website: www.swindontheatres.co.uk

Monday 19 - Saturday 24 June Box Office: 0843 208 6000

Salford Quays, The Lowry Website: www.thelowry.com

Tuesday 27 - Saturday 1 July Box Office: 029 2087 8889

Cardiff, New Theatre Website: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

Monday 3 - Saturday 8 July Box Office: 01892 530613

Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre Website: www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Monday 10 - Saturday 15 July Box Office: 01743 281281

Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn Website: www.theatresevern.co.uk

Monday 17 - Saturday 22 July Box Office: 0844 871 7650

Brighton, Theatre Royal Website: www.atgtickets.com

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 July Box Office: 01684 892277

Malvern, Festival Theatre Website: www.malvern-theatres.co.uk