Natasha Sutherland plays Shirley Valentine in the award-winning British one-woman play by Willy Russell. Shirley is a bored, middle-aged housewife, trapped in a stale, loveless marriage. Her children are all grown up and she frequently talks to the wall in her kitchen while preparing her husband's regular evening meal of egg and chips. Shirley feels stuck in a rut and finds solace in her daily glass of wine as she muses over the lack of excitement in her life.

When her best friend asks her to go to Greece with her for 2 weeks, Shirley jumps at the chance with a mix of exhilaration and jittery nerves. Leaving a note for her husband that simply reads "Gone to Greece - Back in two weeks", Shirley leaves for her holiday. While relaxing on holiday, she rediscovers the woman she used to be and the happiness that she has been missing. Shirley embarks on a passionate affair with Costas, a local Greek man, and realizes that there is more to life than the dull, mundane existence she leads back home in Liverpool. Making a radical decision, she leaves her friend at the airport and goes back to the hotel she has been staying at to ask for a job.

Finally, she is living the life she has dreamed of and rediscovered the self-confidence she has lost.  

VR Theatrical presented 2 sold-out performances of the production before the Covid-19 Pandemic caused theatres to be shut. The production was directed by Gina Shmukler and stars Natasha Sutherland, one of South Africa’s top TV and stage actresses in the title role and was set for a sold out season in Johannesburg before being forced to close.

DIRECTOR

Gina Shmukler is a seasoned and well-travelled theatre practitioner. She works as performer, director and producer and has garnered numerous awards. Gina holds a Masters Degree in Drama from the University of Witwatersrand and is the proud recipient of the Dr Sibongile Khumalo Creative Research Award as a result of a play she created called The LIne, which garnered fi ve Naledi Theatre award nominations including Best South African Script and Best Production. Other directing credits include THE LINE, iNje, LOST IN THE STARS, The Market Theatre’s BRER RABBIT, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, THE WHOLE MEGILLA and SERIOUSLY?. She also served as script writer on ECLIPSED at the Market Theatre Laboratory. Gina is the creative director on many corporate events where she conceptualizes, directs, facilitates, writes and curates.

NATASHA SUTHERLAND - SHIRLEY VALENTINE

Born in KZN Natasha Sutherland has been in the SA creative industry for over twenty fi ve years. Crossing between theatre and screen mediums she has portrayed a number of colourful characters including a pirate queen, a snooping journalist, a controlling mother, Cinderella, a mistress and a wife. She has worked for PACT, Pieter Torien Productions, Kickstart Productions, and the Market Theatre’s 2017 Children’s Monologues directed by James Ngcobo. Natasha has most recently been in ‘The Revlon Girl’ directed by Steven Feinstein, as well as ‘Brutal Legacy’ directed by Lesedi Job. In 2019 Natasha received the Mbokodo Award for Theatre, as well as a Naledi Best Actress Nomination for her role in The Market Theatre’s ‘Meet Me at Dawn’ starring alongside Pamela Nomvete. Natasha is delighted to be portraying Shirley Valentine and hope to spread some much needed positive vibes to South Africans in these trying times.

Photo Credits: Ryno Steyn

Creative Team: Presented by VR THEATRICAL; Directed by Gina Shmukler; Set Design: Nadine Minnaar; Lighting Design: Oliver Hauser; Sound Design: Wessel Odendaal; AV Design: Jaco van Rensburg

Audience Responses

Fantastic.

5

enjoyed intensely!

Fantastic show

Observations: The set was stunningly simple - nice Aegean blues with a softer warm lighting edge; simple change to ice white Greece (nice Rock!) and the use of the tablecloth for a picnic blanket and then the sea was cleverly done. Downside to the set was lack of contrast between dull grey rainy lower class Liverpool house and bright sunny Greece. The items in the house were a bit too modern and stylish (esp the frying pan). It would be easier business to peel the spuds with the knife onto newspaper (the veg peeler looked awkward and jerky) then wrap up the peelings in a parcel (as would be normal then) so there's one less bowl to juggle with. A tray of eggs would also be better as they're not going to share one egg between them. The character took quite a while to emerge - it was rather 'actorly' for the first 15 minutes then seemed to settle. I think I'd been expecting a more subdued, squashed Bradshaw in act 1 - "little lives of quiet desperation" and then a gradual ascent back to Valentine - it was there, but was maybe a bit too chirpy at the beginning which left less space to move into. I'm always disappointed when there's a microphone involved in smaller venues, but that's just me. The transitions to other characters was wonderfully done - the stiffer lipped Jane, clipped-toned neighbour, smooth-talking Marjorie; and Costas was superb - great delivery on the " you can continue the house-keeping" line. Real versatility and characterisation. The least effective part of the show was the costumes - sorry. The wig was too obvious. The colours weren't right for the era (and the music was) and the reliance on what looked like short dressing gowns for both acts was puzzling. An apron (with velcro if necessary) would have been more natural then use a coat from a hook for the drenched meeting with Marjorie (possible?). The short red dressing gown seemed really out of place for act 2, as the green/blue cossie and white trousers looked lovely. Would a light-weight cotton cardigan have been ok here? All in all a really enjoyable show. Willy Russel writes a great script and the production really did it justice, especially in act 2, with some touching emotional moments amongst the laughter. Thanks for the time, effort and talent you shared with us all.

Absolutely fantastic!!! Some of the scenes and phrases still so fresh on my mind.

Excellent entertainment, enjoyed by all members of my party

What an amazing performance. This very talented artist held my attention throughout her performance and gave me lots to smile and laugh about. I would gladly come to any other show in which she takes part.

An excellent production most enjoyable and Natasha superb in the roll. Can we possible have Defending the Caveman

It was absolutely magnificent!!!!! Brilliant brilliantly performed 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

It was absolutely magnificent!!!!! Brilliant brilliantly performed 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Extremely entertaining, very humorous with loads of laughs. laughing a lot. A very professional show by a very talented performer. Well done.

Extremely entertaining, very humorous with loads of laughs. laughing a lot. A very professional show by a very talented performer. Well done.

A Stunning show!!! One of the best!!

Outstanding

5

I loved it and thought Natasha Sutherland was fabulous. Mastering the script without any breaks or prompts from fellow actors on stage was remarkable. It was funny and moving. One member of our party thought it was a bit long winded and could have been shorter and tighter but I don't agree - it was great!

Absolutely brilliant! The set was incredibly clever, the acting flawless, and it was both funny and incredibly sad. Well done!

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT BEYOND.... SO TOO IS THE VENUE

Performance was excellent/enjoyable/well-performed

Brilliant

Really enjoyed the experience and performance. Would recommend the show; Natasha Sutherland is absolutely brilliant.

Natasha Sutherland was excellent. The helpfulness of the staff in the foyer was most welcome. Thank you for a very pleasant evening out for my friend and myself.

Excellent! She is a very good actress.

It was a brilliant show, very professional, thank you

It was a brilliant show, very professional, thank you

It was a brilliant show, very professional, thank you

Outstanding performance by Natasha Sutherland!

Great performance

3

Excellent

Sensational!

A new and fresh production of a well-scripted standard. Great direction with exceptional acting. Loved it!

Excellent was Natasha Sutherland. You actually need to have British ties to understand the humour.I thought overall it was a good show,

Excellent was Natasha Sutherland. You actually need to have British ties to understand the humour.I thought overall it was a good show,

Was uitstekend!

It was great, thoroughly enjoyed it.

we loved it!

My goodness what a show! Laughing and crying with her. Absolutely a must-see. Thank you for a wonderful show.

Brilliant show, throughly enjoyed it.

It was absolutely fantastic! Enjoyed every minute. The acting was superb!

She was excellent!

Natasha Sutherland was superb!

Absolutely wonderful, thank you!

Amazing performance, lovely story and it ended with a standing ovation!

Absolutely brilliant ! We loved every minute. Natasha Sutherland you were amazing. What a privileged to see you n stage. Thank you for all the hard work! We walked away last night thinking “Don’t be a Joe,,,, and don’t live a small life”

As my first theatre outing since Covid, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Brilliantly acted and very poignant thoughts to ponder. Thank you.

Loved it

I admire our South African artists do much and Natasha Sutherland was exceptional in her role as Shirley Valentine, we loved it.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you

A Maaz img to quote Craig Revel Horwood.

The show was great - thoroughly enjoyed it. Natasha was excellent. The theatre is lovely.

Absolutely brilliant show and very well written. Natasha tackled the character with gusto and a decent Scouse accent! Well done!

We loved this show. It's funny, passionate and emotional. We were in the front row and saw those genuine tears...three times she cried. Natasha is an amazing actress. Lesley and Andrew.

Very professional and we enjoyed every moment. We loved it. The whole evening!

I LOVED IT 🥰 It was fantastic. I thought Natasha Sutherland was brilliant. Thank you

Brilliant

It was an awesome show. Highly recommended!

I so enjoyed it, Natasha Sutherland was fantastic 👍

A stellar performance from Natasha Sutherland, hugely enjoyable one woman show, fresh innovative depiction of a classic character - we loved it!

loved it!! would have liked the volume slightly louder.

Brilliant!

5 I would say 10 if there was that option. Had such a good laugh. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Lekker ladies night

Wonderful evening