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 The dialogue is fast paced, witty and shows no sign of being outdated.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.
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