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Shirley Valentine and Educating Rita Win Critics’ Praises
The Willy Russell Season is in full swing at Trafalgar Studios, where comic plays Shirley Valentine and Educating Rita have been winning the praises of West End critics. Both revivals sold out at the Menier Chocolate Factory earlier this year, and this is the first time that the two shows have been staged in London since they premiered in the 1980s. |
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Comic Masterpieces Stand the Test of TimeMeera Syal (Goodness Gracious Me) stars as Shirley Valentine, the Liverpool housewife who is stuck in a rut until a holiday in the Greek sunshine changes her life’s perspective. In Educating Rita, Laura Dos Santos (On the Middle Day) plays the young hairdresser with a passion for literature. Tim Piggott-Smith (Enron) appears as English professor Frank, a career academic grown weary of university life. |
The Daily Telegraph described the leading ladies as giving ‘two of the finest female performances to be found on the London Stage’. Whatsonstage called the show ‘a glorious double whammy for summer theatre’. Elsewhere, the Evening Standard commented that ‘both pieces still pack a real emotional and comic punch’. |
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Don’t Miss Out on Two Award-Winning ShowsAfter being commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Educating Rita premiered in London in June 1980, starring Julie Walters and Mark Kingston. The production won the Society of West End Theatres award for Best Comedy. Shirley Valentine first opened in the West End in 1988, under the direction of Simon Callow. The show won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, and starred Pauline Collins, who went on to play Shirley in the memorable 1989 film. |
Both of these fantastic shows are now booking until the end of October 2010. For more Willy Russell, also check out Blood Brothers Tickets |
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