Theatre in the Country invites audiences to fall in love with one of theatre鈥檚 most endearing and inspiring characters.
Willy Russell鈥檚 Shirley Valentine comes to 91原创 for just four shows between Thursday and Saturday, Aug. 21 and 23, offering a witty, moving, and thoroughly entertaining look at what can happen when people stop talking to the wall and start listening to their hearts.
Directed by Sarah Wiget, the one-person play follows Shirley, a middle-aged Liverpool housewife stuck in a rut, explained Theatre in the Country鈥檚 artistic director Reg Parks.
Her days are filled with routine and her dreams have been shelved for years.
Through humour, honesty, and a healthy dose of courage, Shirley rediscovers herself 鈥� and the joy of living 鈥� in a way she never imagined.
鈥淪he finds herself talking to the wall while she prepares her husband鈥檚 鈥榚gg 鈥榥鈥� chips,鈥� wondering what happened to her life. She dreams of adventure and drinking a glass of wine in a country where the grape is grown. When she eventually packs her bags for two weeks in Greece what she finds is a whole lot more,鈥� Parks said.
It鈥檚 what he calls a hilarious, heart-wrenching, and uplifting story, full of fabulous British humour and memorable one-liners.
Starring as Shirley is Kate Muchmore Woo, a seasoned performer and director with a deep love for storytelling.
Muchmore Woo, who is the former head of the theatre department at Trinity Western University (TWU), is taking on this icon role and it marks the end of a 10-year hiatus from the stage for her, as she had been focused on teaching up until recently.
She has appeared in numerous Theatre in the Country productions and has directed plays for TWU and other regional companies, where she is known for her creative vision and ability to bring out the best in her actors, Parks said.
鈥淗er combined experience on stage and behind the scenes gives her a unique perspective on this richly layered role,鈥� he said.
鈥淎udiences can expect an evening filled with laughter, touching moments, and plenty of inspiration to take that leap toward the life you鈥檝e always wanted.鈥�
For tickets or information, people can visit . This is a theatre only production, no dinner theatre, with 7:30 p.m. shows each of the three nights, and a 1:30 p.m. matinee on the Saturday.
