A brilliant production that leaves you feeling inspired to live life to the fullest
Presented by: Gooding and Woodward Productions
Reviewed: 1 April, 2025
Shirley Valentine, by playwright Willy Russell, is a brilliant one-woman play packed full of charm, grit, humour and heart. This triumph is playing for only a limited season at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Shirley Valentine tells the powerful and moving story of Shirley, a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife who is stuck in a life of routine. Throughout act one, we see Shirley talking to her kitchen wall about her dream to escape her life as she currently knows it and wonders what happened to the adventurous girl she once was. A friend invites her on a spontaneous holiday to Greece and Shirley takes a bold leap into the unknown.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte is a tour-de-force as Shirley Valentine. She is an absolute master of her craft and is mesmerising to watch. Between Lee Lewis’ thoughtful and carefully-planned direction and Bassingthwaighte’s incredible skill as a performer, every moment of this production has been delicately considered, sweeping the audience up in the emotional rollercoaster of the script. Bassingthwaighte’s character development is extraordinary. From self-doubting, insecure and reserved, through to oozing confidence and sex, every moment of this development is believable. Bassingthwaighte is truly mesmerising to watch.
A Liverpool accent is not an easy one to master, but Jennifer White’s work as dialect coach is to be commended. Bassingthwaighte never falters and to make her performance even more impressive is how she switches to other notable UK accents or a Greek accent and back again without missing a beat or stumbling on a word.
Marcello Lo Ricco’s sound design is excellent. Although you know Bassingthwaighte is mic’d, the level of the audio provides what is needed without ever overpowering. Paul Jackson’s lighting design gives everything a natural feel. The softening of the stage wash when Bassingthwaighte goes into a deep and personal monologue throughout the show really pulled the audience’s attention into every word she was saying. A very creative and thoughtful lighting design. Brady Watkins’ compositions only aided this brilliant production. Never obtrusive and only accompanying the text, they add a real depth to this production.
Simone Romaniuk’s set and costume designs are the icing on top of this incredible cake. Costuming perfectly reflects the era but also highlights Shirley’s initial lack of confidence in herself and her growth throughout the show. The set is simply stunning. From the typical 1980s kitchen, complete with a working stovetop, there are so many wonderful 80s knick-knacks lining the shelves and the walls. The Greek beach set in act two is a brilliant contrast to the cluttered and closed in feeling of the kitchen. It is sparse, open and the use of simple white Greek columns and a shimmering blue metallic tile backdrop instantly take you to a Greek seaside town.
Shirley Valentine is more than a show, it’s the opportunity to spend time watching one of Australia’s most brilliant performers and to leave the theatre with a renewed inspiration to live life to the fullest.
Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: 1 – 6 April, 2025
Duration: 2 hours and 10 minutes (including a 20 minute intermission)
Tickets: From $75 (plus booking fees)
Bookings: https://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/shirley-valentine
Photo credit: Brett Boardman
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