SHIRLEY VALENTINE Comes to the Dukes, Lancaster

Mina Anwar will reprise title role in Willy Russell’s iconic one-woman show. The Octagon Theatre Bolton’s critically acclaimed 2020 production of Willy Russell’s beloved comedy, Shirley Valentine, is back and will come to The Dukes from Wed 12th - Sat 22nd March.

Star of stage and screen, Mina Anwar reprises the title role in this beloved Northern comedy and will be directed by the Octagon’s Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham.

From the writer of Blood Brothers and Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine is the critically acclaimed romantic comedy about a stuck-in-a-rut housewife who leaves her troubles (and husband) behind and seeks adventure on a holiday to Greece.

A heart-warming play of self-discovery, it transferred to the big screen in the 1989 Oscar nominated film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.

With special permission from playwright Willy Russell, this version will be reset by Mina Anwar from its original setting of Liverpool to Accrington in Lancashire, in this must-see production. 

Mina Anwar’s credits include her breakthrough TV role as PC Maggie Habib in both seasons of BBC One’s sitcom The Thin Blue Line. She also originated the role of Ray in acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and its West End transfer.

Other credits include Coronation Street, ITV, Shameless, Channel 4, The Sarah Jane Adventures, BBC, Doctor Who, BBC, Life of Pi, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, The Book Thief, DEM Productions, Spring and Port Wine, Octagon Theatre Bolton.

The creative team includes Lotte Wakeham (director); Su Newell (set and Costume Designer); James Blakeman (lighting designer); Gerry Marsden (sound designer); Mina Anwar (resetting) and Fraser Scott (assistant director). 

Shirley Valentine director and Octagon Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to bring Shirley Valentine back to audiences at the Octagon and across Lancashire in 2025. We had an overwhelming response and sellout performances when we opened a previous version of this production at Bolton’s Library Theatre in February 2020 for our ‘Out and About’ Season during our refurbishment, so we’re thrilled to now be bringing it our main auditorium at the Octagon, and then taking it out on tour to audiences throughout the region. 

“I’m so grateful to Willy Russell for once again allowing us to reset the piece to Lancashire, to give it an even more local feel for our audiences. There’s also a brilliant new set design, and of course I’m also delighted to welcome Mina back - she brings such warmth, charm, humour and relatability to Shirley, and I’m excited for audiences to fall  in love with this character all over again.”