Rehearsal images of Sheridan Smith have been released ahead of this week’s opening of Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London.
Directed by Director Matthew Dunster (2.22 A Ghost Story), this starry revival of Willy Russell’s award-winning comedy is running at the Duke of York’s for 15 weeks – from 17 February to 3 June 2023.
The original run was three weeks shorter, but more dates have recently been added due to exceptional demand.
This revival of Shirley Valentine is Sheridan Smith’s first West End performance since she starred in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium in 2019. The stage and screen star is well-known through her work, including playing Cilla Black in ITV drama “Cilla”, and recent movie “The Railway Children Return”.
Shirley Valentine is a one-woman comedy about a middle-aged, working-class housewife from Liverpool who dreams of another more exciting life, and gets it when she goes on holiday to Greece.
Shirley is feeling lost and stuck in her daily routine: her family takes her for granted and she feels isolated and undervalued. She also finds herself cooking the same meal for her emotionally distant husband every single night – and even talking to the walls for company! But Shirley’s life takes a sudden turn when her best friend wins a trip to Greece and Shirley decides to join her. In Greece, she rediscovers her passions and a newfound sense of self, leading her to make the bold decision to not return home. Instead, she stays in Greece, finds a job, and starts living a life where she is true to herself and finally happy.
Book tickets to Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London
Photos by Helen Murray
