Some two years ago, Oregon Stage Works presented "Talking Heads," three playlets by British playwright Alan Bennett, brilliantly interpreted by Helena de Crespo, who enchanted audiences. Now she is appearing again at OSW, this time in "Shirley Valentine," a monologue in two acts and three scenes, penned by another British dramatist Willy Russell. And what a joy it is!

Don Horn is the director, with additional staging by Peter Alzado, OSW's producing artistic director. The pleasant kitchen set is the handiwork of Brian Wallace and Rowdy Yates and painted by Charles Couraud.

Shirley and her ill-tempered husband Joe live in a semi-detached house in Liverpool, northwest England. They are past talking; he expects her to serve up certain dinners on certain days, such as "chips 'n' eggs" on Thursday, about as British a dish as one might savor. In fact, it is when she is in the kitchen preparing the food and sipping a glass of wine that she starts talking to the wall about her ho-hum existence and yen to escape from her trying circumstances.

It is said that walls have ears, and Shirley certainly gives them an earful. But then there is a strange development: her mate Jane wins an all-expenses-paid vacation for two and invites Shirley to accompany her. Soon the two gals are off to Greece, but not before Shirley shops at Marks and Spencer for a brightly colored capri outfit and then sits in the kitchen on the day of departure at 2:20 in the afternoon awaiting the four o'clock cab. Is she excited, or what?

Shirley revels in revelations and has stories to tell, some of them a bit risqué, about her son Brian and daughter Melandra and acquaintances. Occasionally the F-word slips out but is never offensive because Helena's delivery is so fresh and funny. She is able to capture the characters with zest and enthusiasm. The standout is her young son's participation in "The Christmas Story," when as Joseph he discovers that there is no room in the inn. It is uproarious.

While Helena de Crespo endears herself to the audience, praise must also be given to the playwright, Willy Russell, for a sparkling script. He was born in Liverpool in 1947 (hence a Liverpudlian) and quit school at age l5 with one O Level in English language to become a hairdresser, his ears being filled with the woes of women, which he used to good effect in the theater. The leading character in another of his plays, "Educating Rita" (1981), is a hairdresser.

Back to Greece. The last scene was greeted with spontaneous rhythmic handclapping from the audience and I half-expected to see Anthony Quinn appear! There follows a touching interlude in which Shirley has an adventure with a friendly waiter and rediscovers her old self. She stays on in Greece, talks on the phone to her husband who finally decides to retrieve her. She dreams of sitting at her table under a parasol at the edge of the sea when he comes. Will it be a happy reunion?

Helena de Crespo is spellbinding and a consummate actress. Yes, I am a Brit and biased. In my considered opinion, with all the theatrical fare available now in Ashland, "Shirley Valentine" is the show not to miss.

The play runs at 8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through July 13 at Oregon Stage Works, 191 A St. Call 482-2334.