Shirley Valentine Extra Scene

Joe and Shirley are sitting by the sea sipping wine and the waves are lapping at their feet. There is an uptight atmosphere as the sun begins to set. Joe I think you should come home strait away Shirley. I feel that you are not the same woman you have your head up in the clouds. Shirley I may have my head up in the clouds Joe but I'm happy high in the sky, I'm no longer that boring woman who spent all day looking after her husband I'm Shirley Valentine again. As the sun begins to set the camera pulls up to reveal a shadowed figure walking down Mykanos bay. As the shadowed figure gets closer, we are able to see it is Costas. Shirley looks up and tries to divert Joe. Shirley Come on Joe let me show you the sites you know you and me together. We could go see the windmills up on the hill or go see the small bay on the other side of the island. Joe You're a bloody loon Shirley you aint changed one bit. It's eight o' clock at night. Shirley I know but wouldn't it be romantic you and me under the stars sipping a carafe of wine together. Joe No it would not Shirley I have traveled all this way to find you and it's a Thursday so I want me tea now. Because its Thursday I want me usual steak and chips, don't think you have got away with it just because your in some backwards country, don't forget your vows Shirley Bradshaw when you married me you agreed to look after me in

  • Word count: 1003
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shirley's monologe - Shirley Valentine.

Shirley Valentine Hello Wall here I am in my old clothes as always, at the same time of day and doing the same thing, as always but today there's a little difference.... A 42-year-old married woman cooking for her lazy arsed husband who complains about working all day. That's how I've been feeling these past years of my life. I spend most of my afternoon cooking whatever he wants. And guess what! Yep you're right! Here I am in the kitchen cooking for him. The only good thing about this time of day I get to talk to you. Even though I talk to you through out the rest of the day too. Today I'm going to accomplish something, well...... hopefully! Joe is almost home and he is in for a big treat today. He's been such a good boy he deserves to eat chips and egg on Thursday instead of steak on Thursday. What surprise he's going to have he'll probably think I'm having an affair as it isn't his birthday he'll wonder why the surprise. I'm tired of having set food for each day of the week, if he wants to eat his tea he's going to eat whatever I want to cook him not what he want otherwise he can buy and cook his own tea and ill do mine. But if I know my Joe he'd rather starve than do his own tea, so this will rattle his cage. He'll realise that I don't want a life that's a monotonous routine. I learnt that on countdown yesterday! What do you think Wall? Ohhh

  • Word count: 1559
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shirley Valentine

Shirley Valentine In 'Shirley Valentine' Willy Russell presents the transformation of a stifled middle-aged women. The dramatic techniques used in play help the audience to understand the importance of Shirley's transformation were monologues, flashbacks and voiceovers. At the end of the play the audience would be pleased for Shirley for the reason that she has changed so much and she is very happy because she can make a start to her life. The play, Shirley valentine was written by Willy Russell. His life experiences influenced through the play. He couldn't work in many places because he wasn't a qualified person. As Shirley was a housewife she couldn't work anywhere. Willy Russell bring into being play writing and he enjoyed it. Shirley went Greece and found a job they're which she loves doing. Willy Russell worked in a Saloon so he would have in sighting about the lives of women. This play is influenced by kitchen sink drama, this play is about Shirley who is an example of a stereo typical house wife, working class woman, she does things like shopping, cleaning, cooking and taking care of the children and so on. Shirley is also an example of a pessimistic woman who is constantly thinking that disappointing things are going to occur. Russell Satirise feminism in the play through Jane's attitude, saying men are only after one thing, which is sex, "Jane - All men are

  • Word count: 1877
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Willy Russell address issues of gender in the extracts from 'Shirley Valentine'?

Task: How does Willy Russell address issues of gender in the extracts from 'Shirley Valentine'? The 1980's was a decade of reform from what was considered the expected roles of society. A major youth society emerged with more youths being independent from their older generations at an earlier age; this is signified by the masses of music written at the time aimed at the youth and the boost in nightclubs. Following the movements of the 70's and early 80's women's rights had been greatly changed; their roles in the work place had been widened, women now could take more senior positions as equals to the men unlike generations before where women would be housewives or be employed work which was seen as appropriately feminine at the time. Similarly roles in the relationships were changing; those women who were now full time worker in powerful positions could no longer look after the children and household as housewives, as was common in previous generations, instead it became more common for marriages and families to be formed late in life, for relationships where the roles of the housewife would be shared between both husband and wife or even for the husband to assume the role as a househusband. It is here in this time where Willy Russell sets his play 'Shirley Valentine'. The play is a monologue from the character Shirley, a middle aged woman, the wife of Joe, a believer that a

  • Word count: 989
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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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

  • Word count: 674
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Strickly ballroom - Scott is portrayed as a weak and selfish character. To what extent do you agree?

Scott is not portrayed as a weak and selfish character consistently throughout the film. At the beginning, these qualities are certainly evident, but Strictly Ballroom is a personal growth film, in which the audience witnesses the development of Scott from a stubborn and naïve character to an accepting, cultured one. Weakness can be defined as many things, including selfishness, naivety and intolerance. Scott shows moments of naivety through his lack of knowledge of the outside world; intolerance particularly for Fran, the beginner dancer, and moments of selfishness where he thinks only for himself. However, this is not to say that these characteristics are all we see of him. By the end of the film, the audience has witnessed his "rough around the edges" qualities to be "sanded down". There are even moments of bravery in Scott's portrayal. It is this bravery that makes Scott a square peg in his world, as he is the only one that possesses the courage to act on his passion. Scott is portrayed as a naïve character at the commencement of Strictly Ballroom, due to the sheltered and narrow-minded environment in which he is "thrown into". However, throughout the film Scott develops into a mature and developed character through his exposure to the outside world and Fran. Barry Fife is the head of the conformist Ballroom Dancing Federation that works on the policy of: "One bad egg

  • Word count: 684
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Shirley Valentine. How Does Russell Invite the Audience to Sympathise with Shirley?

Year 10 Shirley Valentine Essay How Does Russell Invite the Audience to Sympathise with Shirley? Willy Russell wrote the play 'Shirley Valentine', which reflected very much on his life. The play develops around one central character, Shirley, a middle aged housewife. The audience first meets Shirley sadly reflecting on her life because she hasn't had such a great life. The play shows how the leading character changes dramatically throughout the course of the play. From a lonely but cynical dependant human being Shirley becomes an independent woman. As the play progresses, the audience hears about Shirley's dream of going away somewhere. Her dream becomes a reality as she travels to Greece with her best friend Jane and away from her family. This essay is going to answer the question 'How Does Russell Invite the Audience to Sympathise with Shirley?' Russell invites us to sympathise for Shirley in a variety of ways. For example when Shirley talks to the wall "Hello Wall" this shows loneliness because she has no-one to talk to. Shirley then turns to the camera asking "Well what's wrong with that?" as if what she was doing was perfectly normal. Another way in which we sympathise for Shirley is when she talks about her relationship with Joe when they were young "He used to laugh, Joe. We both did" showing that their life has become much quieter for both of them and they are

  • Word count: 786
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does the playwright, Willy Russell, make the strong, rebellious and independent aspects of Shirley’s character stand out against the dreary confines of the Liverpudlian kitchen sink setting where we first see her?

How does the playwright, Willy Russell, make the strong, rebellious and independent aspects of Shirley's character stand out against the dreary confines of the Liverpudlian kitchen sink setting where we first see her? Willy Russell was born near Liverpool. Russell left school at 15 and became a hairdresser before changing his career to teaching where he was able to write and then to being a playwright. Willy Russell once said, "... that would mean a drastic change of course. Could I do it? I could I do something which those around me didn't understand? I would have to break away." This is relevant because the attitude in this speech comes out in his plays. In Shirley Valentine she does something drastic but doubts whether she can do it and no- one understands why she has to do it. It also shows that you can achieve what you want in life. Russell explores a number of themes throughout Shirley Valentine. One theme that Russell explores is changing your life. This is shown when Shirley becomes happier and confident in herself. Russell also explores the theme of how seeing different places affects you. This is shown when Shirley goes to Greece and realises there is a lot more to life than what she is used to. Another theme Russell explores is how other people's opinions and expectations influence you. This is shown in what Joe expects Shirley to have done when he gets home

  • Word count: 1449
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play?

By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play? In the opening part of the play feeling sympathy for Shirley is a regular occurrence expressed through loneliness, regret, unhappiness and humour. This only being a minority of the feelings Shirley feels. We find Shirley to be a humorous and genile person looking for a more easyer and comfortable way of life. We feel sympathy for Shirley when her sadness is expressed as insecurity. "Even though her name was changed to Bradshaw she was still Shirley Valentine." This shows how she was changed into something she did not want to be and how she regrets marrying Joe. Shirley has an ability to make humour out of what may be at discomfort to her. Maybe the marriage to Joe is an example of this. Shirley's life becomes jaded and boring, as her life seemed to go down hill after marrying Joe. "They say don't they...I felt like that at twenty-five". It seems as though Shirley was cheated out fifteen years in her life, which creates sympathy for Shirley. Shirley finds it hard to make friends and to socialize with others. "I haven't known Jane all that long, but she's great." Shows this and Shirley is troubled when she hears that Jane is going to Greece for two weeks. Shirley was accused of being a cheat at school when she was not. "YOU, she yelled you must have been told that answer." This

  • Word count: 704
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Describe, Examine and Analyse how Willy Russell uses dramatic devices to illustrate issues in "Shirley Valentine".

Describe, Examine and Analyse how Willy Russell uses dramatic devices to illustrate issues in "Shirley Valentine" The 1980's was a time of great change in Britain, but it was the changes to who worked, where they worked, and how society changed. In this play "Shirley Valentine", by Willy Russell, many different aspects of the change are shown on an average forty something housewife. The changes included the privatisation of public companies and economic growth, but the factors that would have impacted on Shirley the most would have been the rise of women out of the home and into work, feminism and the package holiday. The play also highlights stereotypes, which it then (in most cases collapses). Audiences would have been able to relate to these issues and so would be able to understand and enjoy the play more than if it had been about everyday life in somewhere like the Amazon rainforest. Russell himself was born in Liverpool in the 1940's to working class parents. His parents wanted him to get on in life, and rise from his "low beginnings". In the play, Russell may have meant to make a reference to his home life, when Shirley's father is mentioned as buying the whole encyclopaedia Britannica for his children and then wondering why they weren't clever. Russell himself left school at 15 with just a basic English qualification- hardly the dizzy

  • Word count: 2400
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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