SHIRLEY VALENTINE
by Willy Russell
City Theatre Dublin
Siamsa Tíre, Tralee
April 30, 2026
Whenever I mentioned that I was going to a theatrical production of Shirley Valentine, the question I was met with most frequently was: ‘Have you seen the film?’ A lot of people not realising that Lewis Gilbert’s 1989 hit movie was actually adapted from Willy Russell’s play, rather than the other way around.
No, I have not seen the film, but having experienced City Theatre Dublin’s production, I can certainly see why it was adapted for the big screen, for Shirley Valentine is cinematic by nature, made more so by Michael McCaffery's distinguished set.
This re-imagination of the British play sees the protagonist living an unsatisfied life as a forty-something-year-old, mother-of-two in Cork. Sitting in her grotty, dated kitchen, speaking to the wall, she reveals that all of her dreams and ambitions have slipped away; that she has submitted to a colourless life of monotony. Her husband has not satisfied her emotionally or physically in years; their brief interactions amounting to petty arguments and prolonged silences.
Yet, opportunity beckons. When Shirley’s friend invites her on a holiday to Greece, it triggers an inner debate and a call to action, culminating in the excitement-starved protagonist jetting off on a thrilling adventure, filled with plenty of sun, sand and… the other.
The poster is the cause of some apprehension, suggesting a crowd-pleasing comedy which reaches for low hanging fruit, but Michael Scott's direction tastefully steers the performance away from ‘going big’. The first act is actually quite tender, with Scott relying more on pathos than comedy to draw the audience in.
But what elevates this to more than just a satisfying, life-affirming play is a commanding performance from the superlative Norma Sheahan. From a defeated, middle-aged housewife who fantasises about a better life in the first act, to an unshackled, glamourous risk-taker in the second, Sheahan’s delicate portrayal completely captivates, giving us all a reason to hope.
In all, you will spend most of your time smiling, as opposed to laughing.
That is not to say that the play is without side-splitting humour, of which there is plenty, but Sheahan knows when to push, and more importantly, when to pull back.
A joyous, wholesome night at the theatre.
Shirley Valentine comes to the Town Hall Theatre in Galway on Thursday, May 21.
Tickets €20 from www.tht.ie
