| shirley_valentine_programme_notes.docx |
Programme Notes for Audio Description of Shirley Valentine
Lyric Theatre Belfast
Thursday 26th September 2019
PLEASE NOTE :THIS SHOW STARTS AT THE LYRIC THEATRE AT 7.30 PM.
This audio description is brought to you by Sightlines and the Lyric Theatre. The audio describers for this show are Cara Smith and Marie Abbott.
The audio description of the show is done live and does not happen when the cast are speaking – only in between dialogue. These Programme notes will be read out ten minutes before the start of the show, so if you would like to hear them, please collect your headsets and take your seats in the auditorium ten minutes before the show commences.
Shirley Valentine was written by Willy Russell . With the agreement of Willy Russell, this version has has been updated by a young Irish writer, Oisin Kearney. The play has been updated and relocated from its’ original setting in Liverpool to 1980’s Belfast. Shirley Valentine is a one-woman show, and Shirley tells us something of her recent life story and takes us on a journey from kitchen sink isolation to sun-drenched Greece. The themes of loneliness and marital stagnation after the children have left home are revealed, but are shared with a sharp wit and much humour. An invitation from a female friend to go on a two week holiday to Greece proves irresistible. The music soundtrack in this play reflects various popular hit records from the 1980’s. There are also some sound effects, like water and sea sounds as appropriate to the story. When the play first appeared in 1986 it was very successful, and received several awards and was adapted by Willy Russell for a film of the same name.
The Set
The opening set for the first Act of Shirley Valentine is the kitchen of her house. A round table sits in the centre of the room, covered in a red gingham checked tablecloth. Four white wooden chairs are placed around the table. A white handbag hangs over the back of one chair. Three walls of the room are visible. The centre panel back wall features a window above a long sink unit, with the two side walls angled sharply downwards towards this central wall, creating an optical illusion of a small receding kitchen. The kitchen floor is covered with tiles.The wall panels are a pale shade of blue. Checked fabric curtains are held neatly back in place at either side of the window. Beyond the window is darkness. On the wall to the left side of the room sits a waist-high kitchen cupboard unit, with three doors. Next to the unit is a large black electric cooker, and a large chip pan is sitting on the cooker. A soft mop rests against the cooker. On the wall above the cooker and kitchen unit three flying ducks are hung. A small radio sits on the sink unit below the window and there is a white plate, a small saucepan and tea towel on the table. On the right hand side of the kitchen is a tall narrow white door and next to this there is a tall cabinet fridge, with small magnetic ornaments on the fridge door. Two small plastic bins, one with a black bin liner, sit next to the fridge.
Characters
The role of Shirley Valentine is played by local actress Tara Lynne O’Neill. She is petite with shoulder length brown curly hair worn with a centre parting. She has a very expressive face, and smiles often. In the first Act Shirley appears wearing a pale pink skirt, with a pale blue blouse and gold-coloured wedge-heel shoes. A large plastic apron protects her clothes.
In the second Act in Greece, Shirley appears in a pink patterned swimsuit, with a money pouch round her waist. She walks barefoot. A gauzy flower patterned kimono is worn over her swimsuit and a wide-brimmed straw hat completes her outfit.
Creative and Production Team
Writer Willy Russell
Director Patrick J O’Reilly
Executive Producer Jimmy Fay
Producer Bronagh Mc Feely
Script relocation Oisin Kearney
Set and Lighting Designer Paul Keogan
Assistant Director Julie Maxwell
Sound Designer Isaac Gibson
Costume Designer Gillian Lennox
Lyric Theatre Belfast
Thursday 26th September 2019
PLEASE NOTE :THIS SHOW STARTS AT THE LYRIC THEATRE AT 7.30 PM.
This audio description is brought to you by Sightlines and the Lyric Theatre. The audio describers for this show are Cara Smith and Marie Abbott.
The audio description of the show is done live and does not happen when the cast are speaking – only in between dialogue. These Programme notes will be read out ten minutes before the start of the show, so if you would like to hear them, please collect your headsets and take your seats in the auditorium ten minutes before the show commences.
Shirley Valentine was written by Willy Russell . With the agreement of Willy Russell, this version has has been updated by a young Irish writer, Oisin Kearney. The play has been updated and relocated from its’ original setting in Liverpool to 1980’s Belfast. Shirley Valentine is a one-woman show, and Shirley tells us something of her recent life story and takes us on a journey from kitchen sink isolation to sun-drenched Greece. The themes of loneliness and marital stagnation after the children have left home are revealed, but are shared with a sharp wit and much humour. An invitation from a female friend to go on a two week holiday to Greece proves irresistible. The music soundtrack in this play reflects various popular hit records from the 1980’s. There are also some sound effects, like water and sea sounds as appropriate to the story. When the play first appeared in 1986 it was very successful, and received several awards and was adapted by Willy Russell for a film of the same name.
The Set
The opening set for the first Act of Shirley Valentine is the kitchen of her house. A round table sits in the centre of the room, covered in a red gingham checked tablecloth. Four white wooden chairs are placed around the table. A white handbag hangs over the back of one chair. Three walls of the room are visible. The centre panel back wall features a window above a long sink unit, with the two side walls angled sharply downwards towards this central wall, creating an optical illusion of a small receding kitchen. The kitchen floor is covered with tiles.The wall panels are a pale shade of blue. Checked fabric curtains are held neatly back in place at either side of the window. Beyond the window is darkness. On the wall to the left side of the room sits a waist-high kitchen cupboard unit, with three doors. Next to the unit is a large black electric cooker, and a large chip pan is sitting on the cooker. A soft mop rests against the cooker. On the wall above the cooker and kitchen unit three flying ducks are hung. A small radio sits on the sink unit below the window and there is a white plate, a small saucepan and tea towel on the table. On the right hand side of the kitchen is a tall narrow white door and next to this there is a tall cabinet fridge, with small magnetic ornaments on the fridge door. Two small plastic bins, one with a black bin liner, sit next to the fridge.
Characters
The role of Shirley Valentine is played by local actress Tara Lynne O’Neill. She is petite with shoulder length brown curly hair worn with a centre parting. She has a very expressive face, and smiles often. In the first Act Shirley appears wearing a pale pink skirt, with a pale blue blouse and gold-coloured wedge-heel shoes. A large plastic apron protects her clothes.
In the second Act in Greece, Shirley appears in a pink patterned swimsuit, with a money pouch round her waist. She walks barefoot. A gauzy flower patterned kimono is worn over her swimsuit and a wide-brimmed straw hat completes her outfit.
Creative and Production Team
Writer Willy Russell
Director Patrick J O’Reilly
Executive Producer Jimmy Fay
Producer Bronagh Mc Feely
Script relocation Oisin Kearney
Set and Lighting Designer Paul Keogan
Assistant Director Julie Maxwell
Sound Designer Isaac Gibson
Costume Designer Gillian Lennox
