A big-hearted comedy about life lessons, two very different worlds collide in Willy Russell’s charming and wonderfully entertaining comedy classic 'Educating Rita'.
AFI Award-winning director Denny Lawrence breathes life into the 30-year-old piece with stars Colin Moody as Frank – a cynical, burnt-out English professor, who drinks far too much whiskey – and Francesca Bianchi as Rita – a naïve hairdresser.
With a wonderful and desperate thirst for knowledge, Rita chooses Frank of all people to introduce her to culture. Frank soon discovers Rita has a lot more common sense than the so-called 'educated class' within which he moves. He falls for her zest for life, almost childlike qualities and her simple, natural intelligence. But Rita’s life soon changes in this new environment.
Francesca Bianchi and Colin Moody have both learned valuable life lessons, in quite comedic ways:
Francesca:
1. Never use real alcohol onstage…for obvious reasons.2. In a murder mystery if you are the murderer, don’t leave your gun backstage!
3. Onstage, wait for the telephone to ring before you pick it up.
4. Don’t put your hands out before the other actor asks you to put your hands out.
5. In a comedy, the audience will often laugh when you least expect it; let them.
Colin:
1. Always check your flies and laces; you can never check them enough when you are in the wings!2. Never laugh at your own joke.
3. Speak before you eat onstage.
4. When in production, never eat a large curry.
5. If you don’t like your fellow actor, eat as many large curries and as much garlic as you like.
'Educating Rita' performs Redland Performing Arts Centre 20 April and Caloundra Events Centre 23 April.
