SHIRLEY VALENTINE HEADS TO SYDNEY AND BRISBANE

Starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte in a career defining role

Following triumphant seasons in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra, the joyous, life affirming comedy Shirley Valentine is heading to Sydney and Brisbane for strictly limited seasons. Shirley Valentine will play at Theatre Royal Sydney from 22-25 October followed by a season at Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane from 29 October- 8 November, with tickets on sale from Thursday 8 May. Starring leading lady of stage and screen Natalie Bassingthwaighte in the role of a lifetime, Shirley Valentine has captivated audiences and critics alike, bringing Willy Russell’s iconic, heartwarming story to vibrant new life.

This beloved one-woman play tells the inspiring and hilarious story of Shirley, a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife stuck in a life of routine. Talking to her kitchen wall, she dreams of escape and wonders what happened to the adventurous girl she once was.
When a friend invites her on a spontaneous holiday to Greece, Shirley takes a bold leap into the unknown. With humour, charm and grit, she rediscovers her passion for life and her sense of self. Will she return to her old ways, or will Shirley find a new life where she can finally be her true self?

Shirley Valentine is brought to life by acclaimed actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Known for her incredible versatility spanning film (Elvis), television (Neighbours, Underbelly, X-Factor) and stage (Chicago, Jagged Little Pill), Natalie’s portrayal promises to deliver a fresh, dynamic take on Shirley’s journey, capturing every laugh, tear and moment of courage.

Audiences and critics raved about the play and Bassingthwaighte’s performance:

“An impressive and endearing performance that had the audience on its feet” – The Age
“Deliciously funny, poignantly moving, inspiringly uplifting” – Simon Parris, Man in Chair
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Grab your girlfriends and make a night of it. You’ll leave the theatre laughing, inspired and maybe even planning your own adventure” – MelbourniseMe
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An exceptional play, performed by an exceptional actor” – Impulse Gamer
“Absolute gold. Don’t miss this stunning production” – Thescoop.au
“Bassingthwaighte truly captivated with her superb portrayal. A phenomenal one-woman performance” – Thescoop.au
“Genuinely moving” – Limelight

An unforgettable, heartwarming journey of self-discovery that has captivated audiences worldwide. Don’t miss this chance to fall in love with Shirley’s wit, wisdom and wild spirit in a story that reminds us that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

www.shirleyvalentine.com.au
@shirleyvalentineau
SYDNEY SEASON
Venue Theatre Royal Sydney
Season 22-25 October
Performance Times Wed & Thurs 2pm and 7pm, Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sat 2pm
Prices From $59.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings theatreroyalsydney.com or 1300 163 808
Groups 8+ call 1300 163 808

BRISBANE SEASON
Venue Twelfth Night Theatre, Bowen Hills
Season 29 October– 8 November
Performance Times Wed & Thurs 2pm and 7pm, Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sunday 3pm
Prices From $59 (Transaction feeds apply)
Bookings Ticketek.com.au or phone 13 28 49
Groups 8+ call 13 12 46

NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE – BIOGRAPHY
Natalie is one of Australia’s most versatile entertainers, achieving success as a presenter, actress, musician and author. Natalie was most recently seen on stage starring as Mary-Jane in Alanis Morissette’s Tony Award winning musical Jagged Little Pill, and was nominated for the prestigious Green Room Award for Best Leading Artist.

Space 22, a BBC production for ABC Australia, is her most recent hosting work where she explores the merit of creative release to aid and assist in mental health. Natalie also explored her ancestry on season 12 of SBS’s Who Do You Think You Are. In 2023 Natalie joined the cast as a presenter for Luxury Escapes: The World’s Best Holidays for Foxtel.

Natalie’s work as a presenter includes starring as the host of Network Ten’s Changing Rooms, as a judge and mentor in the popular Channel Seven series The X Factor and she led Beau Monga to victory on The X Factor New Zealand. She has co-hosted the Aria Awards and won a Logie Award for her three-year stint as host of So You Think You Can Dance.

Natalie has also participated in Network Ten’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here where she was one of the finalists. In 2024 Natalie competed alongside her sister Mel, on Network Ten’s hit show The Amazing Race Australia.

Her recent acting credits include the role of Elvis’s Stepmother in Baz Luhrmann’s movie Elvis alongside Tom Hanks, the role of Rachel in the feature film Take My Hand, the second season of Network Ten’s The Wrong Girl, reprising her role as Izzy Hoyland in the iconic television series Neighbours, and Network Ten’s biopic Brock alongside Matt Le Nevez. Her other credits include the third instalment of the hit series Underbelly: The Golden Mile, The Mystery Of Natalie Wood, Counterstrike and The Lost World. She also won the Best Actress Award at Tropfest 2016 for her performance in the short film Why Would I Lie?.

Natalie began her stage career on Australian productions of Grease, Rent, Footloose and Chicago. She returned to stage at the iconic Sydney Opera House for the hugely successful extended season of the play Love, Loss and What I Wore and Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Funny Girl In Concert, and prior to Jagged Little Pill she played Roxie Hart in the hugely successful production of Chicago, for which she was nominated as Best Female Actor in a musical at the Sydney Theatre Awards.

Natalie’s music career has seen her achieve acclaim as one of only ten women to reach Number One on the ARIA Charts as a solo artist – her solo album 1000 STARS debuted at number one. She has enjoyed international success as front woman of The Rogue Traders, achieving multi-platinum sales across two albums, as well as two APRA nominations, an MTV award win and seven ARIA nominations. In 2023 Natalie supported Christina Aguilera for her exclusive show in Melbourne, and also performed with the Melbourne Sydney Orchestra in the George Michael Freedom concert.

Across her long-standing career, Natalie has received TV Week Logie Award nominations for Most Popular Actress, Most Popular Presenter and two Gold Logie Award nominations for Most Popular Personality.