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Sheridan Smith and Willy Russell show a wedding made in heaven as she soars in Shirley Valentine within the West End
“I have allowed myself to lead this little life, when inside me there was so much more”
A second of existential disaster hit me as I waited for Shirley Valentine to start out, I clocked that I’m now older than Shirley herself – one thing that appears inconceivable to me as recollections of Pauline Collins and Meera Syal flit round my head. But from the second Sheridan Smith steps onto the stage, all different ideas are banished as she effortlessly slips into the form of successful efficiency that ought to see her head the Olivier nominations for subsequent yr, whilst this yr’s have solely simply been revealed.
Yes, Willy Russell’s 1986 play is dated in some ways, however whilst a interval piece, it speaks to the center of how society – heck, theatre itself as properly – treats so many middle-aged, working class girls. We don’t get to see it at first, gags in regards to the Milk Tray Man and the hopelessness of husbands are deployed a dime to a dozen, however Shirley is wracked by loneliness, a spouse and mom whose id has been so completely subsumed by what she sees as her duties that she’s lowered to speaking to a wall.
Smith is completely solid because the Liverpudlian housewife, so filled with hilarious humanity whilst she offers with the disappointments of what her life has turn into, the judgements that so many go on her. As a shocking Greek odyssey involves go, her flourishing underneath the Aegean solar is a factor of fairytale surprise – too good to be true, positive, however isn’t that what fairytales are all about? A feelgood message like this absolutely by no means goes out of time, significantly given the state we’re in now.
Matthew Dunster’s manufacturing thus hits all the correct notes. Paul Wills’ set and costume design slips brilliantly from ersatz 80s brightness to sun-dappled heat, Lucy Carter’s clever lighting work aiding the transition superbly. Whether it whets the urge for food for taramasalata or home-cooked chips, this can be a nice welcome again for Shirley Valentine and absolutely the present to performing that’s Sheridan Smith.
Running time: 2 hours quarter-hour (with interval)
Photo: John Wilson
Shirley Valentine is reserving on the Duke of York’s Theatre till third June
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