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iech tion and ’f.-;fiJ Shirley Valentine â€"~ . Swit shines in Willy Russells oneâ€"woman comedy years of han in the longâ€"running, hugely popular comedy series ent body language, everything. And that‘s great fun because | M*A*5*H. But this week, the veteran actor of stage, screen have discovered I really love to do that. it‘s something that | and television will take to The Centre in the Square stage in find myself doing. So there‘s that part of me in there." one of the juiciest, most brilliant roles written for women. While the story of Shirley Valentine is told by a female charâ€" Swit stars in William Russell‘s witty and charming oneâ€" acter, it‘s not just a woman‘s story, Swit explains. Through woman play Shirley Valentine, the story of an English, 40â€" Shirley, Joe‘s story is also told, as are the stories of others in something housewife, who one day finds herself asking her Shirley‘s life. That why the play is as appealing to men as it is kitchen wall whatever happened to the Shirley she used to be. _ to women. "She‘s one of the great characters that‘s been written for a "What‘s beautiful about the play is our own selfâ€"recogniâ€" woman, maybe ever, but certainly in a long time," Swit says in _ tion. And if you don‘t sit there identifying with one of the a telephone interview from her Malibu home. "I just love characters, or 15 of them, you know all of them, you have met everything about this character â€" her warmth, her humor, her _ them in your life, you have related to them," Swit says. "So ability to laugh and enjoy everything. She has such a big heart _ there‘s that thrill of association and identification." and that earthy kind of wisdom. There are times when her Swit‘s career has seen her starring on Broadway, in feature everyday patter sounds like poetry. Of course, I should really and television films, and in television series and specials. She be crediting the writer, Willy Russell, whom I adore. | just love _ made her Broadway debut in Same Time Next Year opposite his work. I think Willy has this tremendous ability Ted Bessel, and has been on tour with two to flesh out his character and make them real "She‘s one of the ; Productions of Mame, starring as Agnes They‘re a joy to play." great characters ang Celeste Hoim. In the play, Mrs. Joe Bradshaw, formerly Miss that‘s been written Besides M*A*5*H, on television Swit has Shirley Valentine, has become bored with her * appeared in more than 25 movies, including routine life. She looks at her now indifferent husâ€" for a woman, the original Cagney and Lacey in which she band and wonders what became of the funâ€"lovâ€" mm played Chris Cagney. Other television ing man she married. Invited by a friend on a * movies she‘s starred in include Games dream vacation to Greece, Shirley leaves Joe and but certainly in _ Mother Never Taught You, The Execution, her grown children behind, sets out on a voyage a long time." and Killer Among Friends, the highest rated of personal rediscovery, and finds excitement, s movie of its year. Television specials to her romance, and, yes, herself. â€"Swit credit include The Muppets, Perry Como in "Shirley, as I see her written, never feels sorry the Bahamas, The Best Christmas Pageant for herself," Swit says. "In the past, some of the reviews have _ Ever, Miracle At Moreaux, A Christmas Calendar, and multiple really lauded that aspect of Shirley. Caught in this cycle of Bob Hope specials. searching for herself, she never sits down and says, ‘poor me‘. On the big screen, Swit‘s film credits indlude Stand Up and That doesn‘t mean she doesn‘t cry or feel pain, but she doesn‘t Be Counted with Jacqueline Bisset, Freebie and the Bean with wallow in any self pity. As a result of that, you have room as _ James Caan, Race With the Devil with Peter Fonda, $.0.8. with an audience to feel sorry for her." Julie Andrews and William Holden, Beer with Rip Torrit A wonderful thing about the role, and something of particâ€" _ Whoops Apocalypse with Peter Cook, and The Lords of Tangleâ€" vlar credit to the way Swit plays it, is its depth. Shirley introâ€" wood with duces the audience to those in her life through mimicry. Chuck Norris. : Je "My Shirley is a tremendous mimic, and she doesn‘t just ‘MMMMmmeMW poke at an imitation â€" she goes full out. She drops Shirley tine (she‘s now logged in more than 500 performances across and becomes another person when she‘s telling you a story," _ North America), she is touring with the musical comedy Song mm'lmmmmmmmâ€"mw of Singapore, and performing selected dates of Love Letters of entertaining herself â€" sending people up, as it were. That‘s iConlinakd on pale 195 We know and love her as Major Margaret "Hot Lips®" Houli By Deborah Crandall Loretta Swit stars in the hit play Shirley Valentine next Monday at The Centre in the Square Currently, when she‘s not starring on stage in Shirley Valenâ€" tine (she‘s now logged in more than 500 performances across North America), she is touring with the musical comedy Song of Singapore, and performing selected dates of Love Letters hoyiyid movies she‘s starred in include Games rtainly in _ Mother Never Taught You, The Execution, time." and Killer Among Friends, the highest rated y time. movie of its year. Television specials to her â€"Swit credit include The Muppets, Perry Como in the Bahamas, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Miracle At Moreaux, A Christmas Calendar, and multiple Bob Hope specials. On the big screen, Swit‘s film credits indlude Stand Up and Be Counted with Jacqueline Bisset, Freebie and the Bean with James Caan, Race With the Devil with Peter Fonda, 5.0.8. with Julie Andrews and William Holden, Beer with Rip Torrit Whoops Apocalypse with Peter Cook, and The Lords of Tangleâ€" "What‘s beautiful about the play is our own selfâ€"recogniâ€" tion. And if you don‘t sit there identifying with one of the characters, or 15 of them, you know all of them, you have met them in your life, you have related to them," Swit says. "So there‘s that thrill of association and identification." Swit‘s career has seen her starring on Broadway, in feature and television films, and in television series and specials. She made her Broadway debut in Same Time Next Year opposite Ted Bessel, and has been on tour with two one thing I know I have done with her. When I‘m telling Shirley‘s story on stage, I don‘t just tell the story, I do all of the ent body language, everything. And that‘s great fun because | have discovered I really love to do that. it‘s something that i find myself doing. So there‘s that part of me in there." While the story of Shirley Valentine is told by a female charâ€" acter, it‘s not just a woman‘s story, Swit explains. Through Shirley, Joe‘s story is also told, as are the stories of others in Shirley‘s life. That why the play is as appealing to men as it is (Continued on page 19)