Review: SHIRLEY VALENTINE, King's Theatre, Glasgow
Shirley Valentine is a 42 year old Liverpudlian housewife. Serving up egg and chips night after night to an ungrateful husband, she has become somewhat disenchanted with her life. When a neighbour offers her the chance to go to Greece for a fortnight she is reluctant at first but then embraces the adventure and starts to see herself very differently.
Pulling off a one-woman show is no easy feat and Jodie Prenger is more than ready for the task. Not only can she command audience attention for two hours- she can fry an egg at the same time. Prenger's comedic timing is excellent and she plays Shirley Valentine as a very physical role with a lot of exaggerated movement- with great effect. Prenger gives life to other characters with a slight change of voice and introduces us to her husband, son, neighbour and her Greek lover.
While the play only has two scenes- Shirley's kitchen and the beach, it doesn't feel in any way static. Jodie Prenger has a lot to work with as Willy Russell's 1986 script has been expertly crafted. The dialogue is fast paced, witty and shows no sign of being outdated.
Widely regarded as a classic, Shirley Valentine is storytelling at its finest.
Shirley Valentine runs at the King's Theatre, Glasgow until Saturday 6th May.
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
|
Antigone 1989: A Town Hall Musical Gilded Balloon Patter House (8/05-8/29) |
|
Elvis in Chaos Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street (8/07-8/15) |
|
Surreally Good Summerhall (Former Women’s Locker Room) (8/07-8/31) |
|
The Business Man and The Case of M. Valdemar Greenside Venue @ Riddles Court (Willow Studio) – Venue 16 - 322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2PG (8/07-8/28) |
|
Mythos: Ragnarök Assembly Rooms (Music Hall) (8/06-8/29) |
|
Learning to Human Gilded Balloon Teviot (8/05-8/30) |
|
Sanctuary Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome) (8/05-8/31) |
|
Shamilton! The Improvised Hip Hop Musical Assembly George Square Studios - One (8/05-8/30) |
|
Richard Ashcroft Revived My Libido Gilded Balloon Teviot (8/05-8/30) |
|
|
Giovanni: Unstoppable Alhambra Theatre (4/11-4/11) |
Reader Reviews
To post a comment, you must register and login.