An excellent play that captures the '80s superbly (Educating Rita - Willy Russell)

Member Name: bruffyboy

Product:	Educating Rita - Willy Russell
Date:	14/05/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: funny

Disadvantages: dated at points

Frank is a disaffected, alcoholic, English lecturer at University. His relationship and career are falling apart around his ears, and he doesn't care. Enter Rita, a passionate, head-strong working class hairdresser who wants to better herself through Frank's Open University teaching.

Set in the Thatcher era, Educating Rita is a touching, funny, and significant play that challenges pre-conceived ideas of class. Written by Willy Russell, the play is a success because of the journey both of the main characters go on. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that both are able to learn something from each-other.

As a teacher, we study this in my inner city school, a testament to the invalidity of the boundaries of class and social status, and the power of the human spirit.

The play is written in a very working class Liverpool dialogue, which is easy to read and entertaining at the same time. Although it's from the 80s, it's still relevant in many ways to today's society.

The movie version, starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine is just brilliant.

The writer, Willy Russell, is an excellent playwright whose other work is worth note. 'Our Day Out' is perhaps his best other play, following a class trip out from an inner city school.

Much of Russell's work focuses on the working class from which he came, and this makes it easy to relate to for those from a similar world, but those who can't relate may find it hard to appreciate.

All in all, an excellent play that loses none of its charm twenty years on.

Summary: read it, watch it, do it!