One of my all time favourite films, that I have seen several times, is Shirley Valentine, starring Pauline Collins. I absolutely loved this film - it is funny, sad, true to life, has several 'wake up call' messages in it, and the scenery of Greece is beautiful. When I saw it was on stage in a nearby town, I just had to see it, so a friend and I went into Birmingham. My friend had heard on the radio that the play was was a monologue, which took the shine out of being sat in the New Alexandra Theatre. Two ladies sat next to us were also duly disappointed, as they were looking forwards to seeing a Costas look-alike. However, Jodie Prenger was AMAZING as Shirley Valentine.
The first half was set in the kitchen with SV making the famous 'chips and egg'. The smell wafted up into the circle and I was grateful I had just eaten a meal so wasn't hungry. Jodie/Shirley portrayed the story exactly as I remembered it. Her use of the Liverpudlian accent was very good and her take on the voices of other major characters was brilliant. The real kitchen set up with electrics and cabinets, sink, washing machine etc was used to its full capacity. Cupboards, freezer, washing machine doors were opened and closed, the table drawer and other drawers opened and items taken out to further set the scene. A slight pause for a change of clothes before her departure to Greece was handled very well by stage hands and Jodie's motherly figure was transformed to a woman about to go on an adventure, just by adding a different outfit.
If I had closed my eyes when Jodie was being Gillian the Neighbour (Julia McKenzie in the film) I wouldn't have known it was the same person. Her take on her daughter Millandra too was excellent.
In the second half the scenery was on a beach with rocks and blue sea all around. Jodie was in her swimwear and I was so glad she was not a slim lady but one of real proportions and not ashamed to show it. Shirley talked to Rock instead of Wall and told us of the antics of the friend she had travelled with and how she found herself alone again. And then Costas comes into the play, well his voice anyway. I could see Tom Conti in my mind ... "you afraid I want f**k with you". How we laughed. "He kissed my stretch marks....... aren't men full of s**t?" More laughter. Great therapy.
The table and chair was used to do the 'Dougie and Jeanette' scene very well, more laughter. And then the sitting by the sea and contemplating life and who she really was, the deciding to not go home and eventually returning to work in Costas café where she offers English tourists chips and egg when they don't want squid or any other Greek dish.
"Will he recognise me?" Shirley had changed.
Well done Jodie on being word perfect throughout. Thanks also to the New Alexandra Theatre for providing pre-paid ice creams to our seats in paper bags during the interval. Much appreciated and enjoyed.
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I had my own Shirley Valentine Adventure in 2015 (minus Costas). To celebrate being 60 I went to the Greek Island of Skyros where I changed into a serious writer. You can read my several blogs entitled The Big Adventure. Scroll down until you find it. I would recommend every woman goes find herself in a place by the sea - it is memory making, life changing, liberating. If I can overcome my fears of travelling alone, so can you. It's a real confidence booster. Go on, try it. You will surprise yourself.
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