I'm guessing that this will work best with those who didn't see the play, based on nothing more that the play was a tour de force, a one-actor piece which relies on the actress being good enough to make the audience 'see' the other characters as she conjures them up from her imagination/memory. In a movie, of course, it's easier to show the other characters and risk weakening the concept. It's not exactly new -way back in the 50s/60s Anthony Newley played 'Sammy' on television; a role which called for him to spend 50 minutes on the telephone calling a series of unseen people as he bought/sold and connived in an effort to stave off a beating or worse from the guys to whom he was in hock. When they adapted it to the big screen they also expanded it to include the characters on the end of the phone and changed the title to The Small Sad World Of Sammy Lee. This is virtually the same thing and works about as well. No major surprises/revelations but still a pleasant film.
Review of Shirley Valentine
