Audiences Extend Love for "Shirley Valentine"
If you are looking for an entertaining, thoughtful, and charming play, get to the Cinnabar Theater soon for “Shirley Valentine” before it passes you by. This one-woman show was scheduled to end its run June 12th, but due to high-demand ticket sales it has been extended through Sunday, June 18th. It’s a heartwarming, truthful, and very humorous portrayal of a plucky middle-aged British woman who finds herself stuck in a predictable life, managing setbacks with practicality, yet dreaming of happier times.
Mary Gannon Graham reprises her critically-acclaimed performance as Shirley, who reinvents herself with courage and giddiness during a daring vacation in Greece. Graham’s formidable acting skills bring other characters to life, humorously including her silent kitchen wall. Using minimal props, Graham fills the stage, all the while cooking eggs, playing servant to her spoiled daughter and chatting with a nosy neighbor. The audience is enthralled and captivated to meet others who play a part of Shirley’s journey.
It may take a few minutes to adjust your ear to Shirley’s cockney accent, but Willy Russell’s script and Graham’s acting are so brilliant, as the Brits are fond of saying, that you won’t need to catch every word. The message is clear and inspiring; men and women gave the show a standing ovation at the end of Act II. “Shirley Valentine” is well-directed by John Shillington, with colorful sets and costumes. It’s an authentic performance that will leave you happy and hopeful.
Playing at 8 PM Fridays and Saturdays, 2 PM Sundays at the Cinnabar Theater, 3333Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, with free parking and comfortable tiered seats. Tickets are $15 (under 30), $22/seniors, $25 general with reservations at (707) 763-8920 or go to www.cinnabartheater.org