THEATRE REVIEW: Educating Rita - The Lowry theatre, Salford.

Willy Russell’s modern classic play is brought back to life with energy and passion at The Lowry this week. Possibly one of the Liverpool playwright’s best pieces of writing; made famous by the multi-award-winning movie of the same title, starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine. Last night’s opening performance was a masterclass in connection, relationships and characterisation. Set inside a University professor’s musty, fussy old study; as antiquated as the professor’s love of teaching; the play explores the unlikely relationship of an alcoholic, failed poet, university professor and his working class, scouse hairdresser-cum-aspiring-literature-student who is hoping to gain a degree via the open university despite failing in education thus far. It is a social commentary on aspiration and dreams and class barriers. Like most of Willy Russell’s writing, famed for his social awareness and commenting through social dramas, it explores the themes subtly at times and with a firm fist at others. The play is literally a series of episodic scenes across a period of academic time but it works beautifully without feeling claustrophobic. The light and set reflected time and place, daytime and evening and the changing seasons mirroring the characters changes and growth. The set was a sublime with a huge series of bookcases which hid Frank’s not so secret stash of booze to enable him to get through the day.

Starring film and TV star Stephen Tompkinson as the acerbic, literate wordsmith and guru ‘ Frank’, ‘Educating Rita’ really makes you think hard about the nature of life, learning, education and its value in securing ones place in the social pecking order. Tompkinson is the epitome of the cord-clad, uni professor who has spent far too long locked in a social prison of his own making. Surrounded by his cellmates: whisky, brandy and the spirit shelf, he naval gazes morosely to begin with until Rita bursts into his office and life demanding to ‘know everything!’ A beautifully observed performance as he watches with a controlled bemusement at the fizzy Rita who comes to him expecting him to be some kind of oracle. When it was first written 40 years ago, the notion of the post education adult returning to education and learning and achieving was quite a novel idea. The more absurd notion that a professor would be giving one to one, evening drop-in tutorials with a student even more absurd but this is firmly set in 1979 pre-Thatcherite Britain where everything seemed a possibility. Willy Russell wrote the play with himself in mind as the heroine as he too was a working class hairdresser who returned to education as an adult (becoming a teacher).

Max Roberts’ production is certainly not tired and the quality of the text and the acting breathes new life into it in our 21st century reflective society where we tell our children that education matters most of all. Jessica Johnson plays our heroine ‘Rita’ with aplomb. A seasoned theatre performer, she had energy and gravitas and a very believable scouse accent. It must be very difficult to resist doing a turn as Julie Walters’ iconic Rita but I think that what she did made the role her own. Her character grew in depth as the play progressed and after she leaves her husband that became more apparent. She was feisty to the max and playfully flirted with the bumbling Frank who at points can be seen to be falling under her mesmerising distraction. There were little points earlier on when I felt that Rita was a little too big but that settled as Act 1 progressed. Johnson’s metamorphosis when she challenges Frank on his opinions and choices was spine-tinglingly good and the audience were silent as the stage was electrified with the unspoken emotions going on between the two characters.

The relationship between Frank and Rita was electric throughout. The pace was outstandingly good and the interplay was beautifully honed with micro reactions and the timing was a masterclass. The director has extracted every ounce of humour in this blackly comic play. I felt like we went on a rollercoaster of emotions with Rita as she grew and changed like a flower searching for sunlight and water, hand fed by Frank until we see she realises that she has outgrown the pot and he has nothing left to give and as they fight to let go and say goodbye. I would love to know what happened to Rita once she achieved her pie in the sky aspiration as I am sure many other theatre goers have wondered over the years. A fabulous production with fluent characterisations and precise direction on a stunning set. An absolute must see if you can get a ticket.

Reviewer - Kathryn Gorton
on - 30/4/19