Educating Rita

TWO very different worlds collide with heart warming results in Willy Russell’s delightful and popular comedy-drama “Educating Rita” next month. Stage Left Theatre Troupe Goldfields WA Inc is presenting the show over five nights from September 4 to 12. Director Brett Thomas is harnessing the talents of the club’s co-founders and most experienced performers, with Kevin Blair appearing as Professor Frank Bryant and Lisa van Oyen in the role of Rita; the witty, frustrated young working class hairdresser who decides to seek an education at Open University. Written by Willy Russell, the playwright behind the ever-popular Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita introduces us to Frank - a cynical professor who drinks far too much whisky and Rita - a naïve hairdresser. Rita has a wonderful and desperate thirst for knowledge and implores Frank to introduce her to culture. Frank soon discovers that Rita has a lot more common sense than the so-called educated class within which he moves. The well-meaning but generally drunk professor starts to enjoy his tutorship of this witty and spirited lady. She doesn’t necessarily have all the knowledge his other students do, but she has verve and nerve. Frank begins to fall in love with Rita for her zest for life, her almost childlike qualities and her simple, natural intelligence. But Rita’s life soon changes in this new environment. Two very different worlds collide, and then merge to produce a charming human comedy and a wonderfully entertaining modern day Pygmalion. Educating Rita is on for five nights only – September 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12. Tickets are $20 and $15 on sale now at www.tazentertainment.com.au (online and credit card bookings; *plus booking fee) and at Boulder Pharmacy, 46 Burt Street, Boulder (Cash only).