Shirley Valentine comes to Plymouth

Willy Russell’s heart-warming comedy Shirley Valentine premiered in 1986 and took the world by storm. In celebration of its 30th Anniversary the first major revival of this national treasure will come to Theatre Royal Plymouth Monday 16 – Saturday 21 October.

With a career spanning over four decades Willy Russell is undeniably one of the most successful playwrights of his generation. His plays, including Educating Rita, Blood Brothers, Our Day Out and Shirley Valentine, have been performed across the globe and have won countless awards, they continue to be in constant production throughout the world. Shirley Valentine was adapted into an Oscar nominated film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti

Shirley is a Liverpool housewife. Her kids have left home and she makes chips and egg for her husband while talking to the wall. Where has her life disappeared to? Out of the blue, her best friend offers her a trip to Greece for 2 weeks and she secretly packs her bags. She heads for the sun and starts to see the world and herself very differently.

Taking on the role of Shirley is Merseyside actress Nicky Swift. Her theatre credits include Footloose (UK Tour), Les Miserables (Queens Theatre, West End), Lennon (Royal Court, Liverpool), Songs For Victory (UK Tour), One Night In Istanbul (Echo Arena,Dublin Gaiety and Belfast Grand Opera House), Cats (Arena Tour), The Buddy Holly Story (Upstairs At The Gatehouse), Alice In The Walled Garden(Rockwell Park), Richard Taylors' Whistle Down The Wind, (Edinburgh Festival, Sadler’s Wells and West Yorkshire Playhouse), Charlie, (Buxton Opera House), Her Benny (Liverpool Empire), David Copperfield (UK Tour), Sixteen Gobs (Kings Head), HabeasCorpus and City Of Angels (RAM). She has appeared as a soloist alongside Dame Judi Dench inAn Enchanted Evening (Drury Lane) and charity galas at ThePalace Theatre, The Royal Albert Hall and for HRH Prince Edward at St James’ Palace. Nicky made her Off-Broadway debut in A Broadway DivaChristmas at The Julia Miles Theatre, New York. Her TV credits include Hillsborough (ITV), Voices Raised, Blue Peter, Sport Relief and The Olivier Awards (BBC).

Glen Walford, director of the original production, directs this major revival. Shirley Valentine is produced by Adam Spiegel Productions (Motown, The Last Tango, The Producers, Dance ‘Til Dawn, Midnight Tango, Love Me Tender, The Mousetrap on Tour).

Tickets are priced between £10 - £31.50 and can be booked online at www.theatreroyal.com or by calling the Theatre Royal Plymouth Box Office on 01752 267222. Concessions are available.