SHIRLEY VALENTINE, ROYAL LYCEUM, EDINBURGH
★★★★★
“Reid displays a twinkling flair for landing a punchline…”
There’s a line in a song somewhere, about a mother, gazing out the window after her children have all left home, lost deep in thought, a momentary sadness etched onto her features before she is pulled back into the reality of her life and the demands that continue to be made of her by default of being a mother, of a wife, a carer.
It’s a look that will be familiar to many. One that speaks of sacrificed dreams and opportunities and of what might have been of a life lived, yet not quite fulfilled.
In Willy Russell’s shrewdly observed Shirley Valentine, his exploration of the reflection that comes with middle-age proves as powerful today as it was when it first appeared on stage nearly 40 years ago, but while Russell’s words provide the foundations of this production from Pitlochry Festival Theatre, it’s Sally Reid’s incredible empathy for the character that makes her Shirley Valentine shine brighter than the Greek sun of which she dreams.
When we first meet 42-year-old Liverpool housewife Shirley Bradshaw, nee Valentine, she is talking to the wall. Not in the sense of the expression so often used by frustrated parents, but literally. It is an effective device for sharing her innermost thoughts with the audience. Thoughts that initially include family, friends, sex and, hilariously, the Milk Tray Man.
Reid delivers Russell’s working class witticisms with a natural affinity, displaying a twinkling flair for landing a punchline while all the time mining the pathos of the darker truths beneath the humour to perfection. It’s not just a deep-held sadness she realises as Shirley reflects, Reid captures the sudden emptiness of not being needed as much now her kids have flown the nest, the disillusion, regret, and anger at the invisibility that has come from giving such selfless, unconditional love.
A visceral understanding of the character sits at the heart of Reid’s portrayal, which is quite brilliant. Her gentle, lilting Liverpool accent, beautifully expressive, holds the audience rapt for one hour and 46 minutes as, alone on stage, she shares Shirley’s turmoil, and then steely rejection of what has become her norm.
It’s a bravura performance enhanced in the safe hands of Elizabeth Newman, whose precise and flowing direction heightens Reid’s natural abilities as a storyteller, ensuring the truth of the world around her never falters as she effortlessly conjures up the characters in her life – daughter Millandra, son Brian, husband Joe, and bar owner ‘Christopher Columbas’, to name but a few.
Emily James’ stage design is also captivating; two simple sets on which the tale unfolds. Act One finds Shirley in a typically suburban kitchen, preparing and cooking eggs and chips for Joe’s dinner. It’s real and functional without being fussy and focusses the action. Act Two, sees the transformed housewife settled on the Greek seafront, a shimmering masterpiece of minimalism and gorgeous lighting by Jeanine Byrne.
A heartfelt and a liberating piece of theatre, this production of Shirley Valentine will speak to many. Reid’s working class mum, swept up in family duty while putting her own needs second to those she loves is only too recognisable -it’s a thought-provoking, bittersweet and deeply moving performance.
Run ended
