Excellent performances in Rugby Theatre's Educating Rita

Suzanne Swan as Rita and Malcolm Stewart as Frank. Photo by Martin Pulley.

Educating Rita by Willy Russell at Rugby Theatre from 5 – 12 April 2025. Directed by Nigel Nicholson.

Review by Ann Evans

For actor Suzanne Swan playing the part of Rita in Educating Rita as her debut lead role performance must have felt like a baptism of fire. Nevertheless, she took on this iconic role in the Willy Russell classic comedy and did an excellent job in the process.

This 2-hour long, two character play is non-stop conversation between the young Liverpudlian hairdresser who knows nothing but longs to know everything, and the shambolic University Lecturer, Frank, a frustrated poet who has given up on his own writing and turned instead to drowning his sorrows in whisky.

Both actors were word perfect, and portrayed the bubbly, free-spirited Rita, and the disillusioned Lecturer Frank, as Russell intended, under the guidance of Director Nigel Nicholson - who was also making his debut directing at Rugby Theatre - although has a lifetimes experience under his belt and an illustrious career directing, advising, performing and dancing in top productions including the West End and beyond.

Educating Rita. Photo by Martin Pulley.

Educating Rita, as Russell intended, highlights the class system and education system of the 1970s when working class families were simply not expected to send their children to university, nor could they afford to. University places were for the well-off, certainly not for the likes of Rita, an uneducated woman in her 20s whose husband was even against her trying to better herself.

But Rita has a burning desire to learn and understand everything and has wangled herself a place on an Open University Literature Course, where she will receive one-to-one tutoring by Professor Frank Bryant. 

So eager to break free from the life she is living, she has even changed her name from Susan which she considers ordinary, to Rita which she feels is more refined and exotic – plus her favourite book is Rubyfruit Jungle, written by Rita Mae Brown.

The new Rita presents Frank with a pen. Photo by Martin Pulley.

 Within minutes of making her undignified entrance into the Professor’s life she is soon recommending he reads Rubyfruit Jungle while he’s suggesting she reads E.M.Forster.

It’s clear that Frank doesn’t know what’s hit him by the arrival of this bright, funny, lively young woman who talks non-stop and doesn’t pull any punches. Prior to her arrival he had been in his own alcohol-infused world, not doing much, particularly not writing – which once upon a time he had been passionate for; searching out dregs of whisky from bottles hidden amongst his library of books.

Rita’s arrival frustrates and infuriates him through her lack of knowledge where literature is concerned. But also, she challenges him, and he sees that she is a quick learner with a fierce desire to absorb all the knowledge he can impart.

Actor Malcolm Stewart plays the role of Frank excellently, and the relationship that develops between these two characters, is forever evolving as Rita’s knowledge and understanding grows along with her confidence and Frank’s zest for life is awakened – at least for a time.

Frank under the influnce of drink. Photo by Martin Pulley.

But Frank’s reliance on booze doesn’t diminish and in one major scene where he is rolling drunk whilst supposedly delivering a lecture, shows how desperate that situation is – but brilliant acting by Malcolm Stewart as someone totally inebriated!

Gradually the roles are pretty much reversed. Rita becomes that educated young woman who knows how to dress and how to engage with people, and how to behave in public. Plus, her knowledge of literature amazes even herself, and Frank. Now, confident in her own skin she reverts back to calling herself Susan.

The tragedy of the situation being that Rita’s husband can’t cope with his wife’s new-found independence so packs her bags forcing her to leave their home, and their marriage breaks up.

Malcolm Stewart and Suzanne Swan, Educating Rita. Photo by Martin Pulley.

 Frank starts to write again and gives his poems to Rita to critique but it seems her opinion comes across as too academic which enrages him. He feels she is no longer that free spirit who had charmed him initially, she is now cultured and educated – which of course is what she wanted. But for Frank, who has fallen out of love with academia he doubts his own ability and writing talent and rips his work into pieces.

Things now are moving on. The University are sending Frank on a two-year sabbatical to Australia and Rita (or Susan) has the world at her fingertips.

Excellent performances by these two actors and they certainly do justice to this Willy Russell classic.

For tickets go to: https://www.rugbytheatre.co.uk/