Review: EDUCATING RITA at Theatre on the Bay Provides an Intimate Slice of Life

EDUCATING RITA is one of my all-time favourite plays. Willy Russel’s rich script is a lush playground for the two actors lucky enough to inhabit his words.

The story is not unlike PIGMALION or MY FAIR LADY in some ways: Rita, a young Liverpudlian woman, working as a hairdresser in the 1980s, seeks a better life for herself through education. She signs up for an Open University programme, which allows her one-on-one tutelage by a professor at the university. Eventually, she will write exams. Rita is paired with Frank, an alcoholic disillusioned, English literature professor who has lost his passion for teaching – but not for literature. For Rita, her edification is about so much more than understanding what assonance and alliteration are. She wants to know ‘everything’. She yearns to expand her worldview, to escape the confines of her class, to find meaning in her existence and to be able to choose her own trajectory in a world where her path seems predetermined and fixed. Her fresh take on sometimes-crusty literary criticism revitalises Frank and reminds him of what education can unlock. Indeed, the beauty and poignancy of this play is in the relationship between Frank and Rita: who learns what from whom? What is lost and gained in the process? These are some of the questions that are posed to the audience in this complex and compelling piece of theatre.

In this piece which takes place entirely in Frank’s office, the set is almost a character in its own right. The set by Jaco Griesel is glorious. Cozy, and taking up only part of the theatre’s stage, the office is truly a ‘slice of life’ with beautiful attention to detail. The shrinking of the stage is incredibly effective in that it provides a cozy, intimate space for this beautiful story and draws the audience in, allowing us to be flies on the wall in Frank’s office and to witness the metamorphosis of both characters – for better or for worse. I particularly loved the rainy scenes: what magnificent use of that window.

Zoë McLaughlin, a Fleur du Cap and Naledi Award nominee, and multi-award-winning actor Jason K Ralph provide understated performances as Rita and Frank. The two play off each other well, with Ralph’s dry deliveries acting as a foil for McClaughlin’s astute delivery of Rita’s more ‘in your face’ lines. The pair do an excellent job of bringing the script comedic and dramatic elements to life – both are key in this production. Director Paul Griffiths has done a great job of ensuring that the progression of the tension is controlled: it simmers instead of explodes.

Since this play is so close to my heart, I admit I am more ‘nitpicky’ than I might ordinarily be. Since this play takes place over the course of a year, it feels strange that the actors remain in the same costumes for most of the show, with minimal adjustments and additions such as a coat. I understand that the changes would need to be quick but I have seen them done. For me, more (total) outfit changes would complete the attention to visual detail that the set works so hard to achieve.

Additionally, I found the blocking to be problematic at times in that the actors face the back of the stage. EDUCATING RITA is all about the dialogue and the connection between the characters. This causes the audience to lose precious gems from the script in that speech is often muffled. Likewise, we miss facial expressions at some key moments. This may be partially remedied by turning around Rita’s desk in the corner of the room – so that it faces the audience.

Likewise, the use of microphones tends to detract from the performance as opposed to enhancing it. In a theatre as intimate as Theatre on the Bay, and in such a play, microphones seem unnecessary, especially since the issues that they sometimes create (as was the case when I attended) cannot easily be ignored by both actors and audiences and can throw them, and us, off.

EDUCATING RITA remains relevant, touching and, ultimately, worth seeing.

EDUCATING RITA runs from 5 to 15 July at Theatre on the Bay. Tickets range from R150 to R250 and are available via Webtickets by calling the Theatre on the Bay box-office on 021 438 3300 or 021 438 3301.

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