How i would direct scenes 30 to 33 of Willy Russell's Shirley Valentine.

Shirley Valentine Willy Russell wrote in 1989. It features one main character, Shirley valentine, who is a middle-aged Liverpool housewife, who finds herself talking to the wall whilst she prepares her husbands chips and fish, wandering what happened to her life. She compares scenes in her current life with what she used to be like she’s stagnated and in a rut. But when her best friend wins an all expenses-paid vacation to Greece for two, Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.

In this essay, I am going to show how I would direct scenes 30 to 33 of Shirley Valentine. In these scenes, Shirley meets up with Marjorie Majors who is Shirley’s schoolmate but were very great enemies when they were in school because Shirley had a Liverpool Ian accent whilst Marjorie had a very posh and clear English accent.

Firstly, I will look at their clothing. I think Shirley should wear a very motherly clothes not all that poor but the normal clothes every mother would wear. This shows that she is a typical middle-aged housewife. It also tells us something of her background, which was very working class. Marjorie should wear very well designed clothes, and wear some kind nice jewels. This reflects her background, which is a middle class and her current career which is a first class hooker.

At the start of the scene, Shirley was waiting for a taxi in the rain and is feeling ...

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At the start of the scene, Shirley was waiting for a taxi in the rain and is feeling very drenched. In other to show this, I would ask the actor to behave very annoyed and very in a hurry. When Marjorie spots Shirley, she is both surprised and concerned. I would show this by telling the actor to speak in a very astounding way and to spread her hands open to embrace her. Shirley is friend “dumbfounded” by the chance meeting and I would have her show this by opening her mouth full of surprise and happy to see her old school friend.

As they enter the hotel, Shirley Still thinks that Marjorie is an airhostess and that she is better than her. I would have Shirley staring at the room and the clothes Marjorie is wearing.

As they sit down to tea, Marjorie is very relaxed while Shirley is not. I would show this by Shirley standing and staring at the nice room whilst Marjorie sits there and have her cup of tea. They exchange small talk in which Shirley tells Marjorie she is married and had two children and that she is now a housewife whilst Marjorie tells Shirley she was a first class prostitute. It is only when Shirley mentions Marjorie’s job as a prostitute that the truth comes out. Marjorie is both surprised and amused at Shirley’s innocent assumption. She immediately exclaims, “Did you say you are married and got two children”. She should say this with surprise and with likeness to how Shirley has assumed herself because although she is surprised she is not angry or laughing at Shirley.

As the women began to talk honestly to each other the mood of the scene changes. They each confess that they secretly hated each other. To show that it is no longer two strangers but two old friends who are catching up, I would have them embrace each other and say sorry to support this

In scene 33, the women say sorry to each other. They should say their lines very depressingly and feeling very sorry for what they have been treating each other to show that they obviously feel real affection for each other as they part. At the hotel entrance, Marjorie car pulls up and they said good-bye. It is a sweet yet sad parting and I would show this by making them embrace each other.

The audience should be left feeling that Shirley gained some confidence through this chance meeting, and wondering if it has given her enough courage to tell her husband that she is going to Greece without him.

Adwoa Agyiriwa Acquah `10c