Educating Rita is a simple story of a teacher and student that captured the hearts of so many people. The play, written by Willy Russel, was first performed in 1980 and since then has been performed in a dozen countries around the world.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Educating Rita and the play is still going strong with Stephen Tomkinson and Jessica Johnson starring in the 2021 theatre production. Here, we take a look at the original Educating Rita cast and the upcoming big 40 tour.
What is Educating Rita about?
The play turned film is a story about university lecturer Frank who agrees to tutor an Open University student. His new student, Rita, is a feisty down to earth hairdresser who wants to expand her horizons and get an education. However, her husband Denny and her family have limited hopes for her, coaxing her into having a baby and settling down for good.
Rita and Frank have a special connection and learn a lot from each other. Frank starts to question himself and tries to get out of his funk. Whereas Rita challenges the standards and attitudes of the university and starts to believe in herself.
Here is the trailer for Educating Rita (1983)
Who wrote Educating Rita?
This play by Willy Russel explores the relationship between student and tutor and is influenced by his own experiences in night school. The play and film are entirely character-driven, featuring Rita’s comedic and unique reaction to literature and Frank who enjoys seeing such a fresh character and helps her to escape her circumstances.
"I wanted to make a play which engaged and was relevant to those who considered themselves uneducated, those whose daily language is not the language of the university or the theatre. I wanted to write a play which would attract, and be as valid for, the Ritas in the audience as the Franks." Willy Russell
The reason Educating Rita is such a loved play and film is that it feels intimate, you really get to know the characters and really believe in their motivations and feelings. It is a story of big ideas, about class, choice and discovering who we want to be.
The Educating Rita play
The play was first performed at the Warehouse in June 1980 and then transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre that September due to its success. It was then produced at the Liverpool Playhouse in February 1981 which was Willy Russell's first time working as a director.
The production ran in the West End for over two and a half years and ever since Educating Rita has always been in production somewhere in the world.
Who was in the cast of the orignal play?
Julie Walters
Many may know the Educating Rita cast from the BAFTA award-winning film with Michael Caine and Julie Walters.
But Julie was also the original Rita to play the role in the 1980 production at London’s Warehouse theatre and in the West End.
Coming from a theatre background there was some controversy for her to play the role in the film. However, she ended up going on to play the character in the 1983 film, opposite Michael Caine as Frank.
Michael Caine admitted in his autobiography that, "Lewis (the director) and I were a little concerned at first, this being her first film and her with a theatrical background.” However, they concluded that “Our concern turned out to be groundless because Julie understood all this instinctively and mastered it so quickly."
This was Julie Walters' first debut on screen, and she recognised that this was her big break and that Rita was a gift for any actress.
"Rita's a great part. I've loved playing her," she told Film Review in January 1983. "There's a lot of humour and hard truth in it. It's been such a happy film to make, with such a cheerful atmosphere on the set all the time."
Mark Kingston
The late Mark Kingston was the first to play Frank alongside Julie Walters in the original production.
Mark Kingston, who has died of cancer aged 77, was best known for his role as Frank in Educating Rita. He has featured in many stage plays over the years such as Caesar and Cleopatra (1956), Poirot (1993) and other TV cameos such as Holby City (2004) and Casualty (1999-200).
The Educating Rita film
When adapting the stage production for the big screen, there is always a conflict with the writer and the director on how much to expand the material without compromising the original piece.
As they were working on the script and casting, Michael Caine was the first choice to play the alcoholic Dr Frank Bryant.
The film was a box office hit and had great success, receiving the BAFTA award for best film, best actor and actress. Julie and Michael received Golden Globes for best actor and actress and Julie, Michael and Willy Russell also received Oscar nominations.
“The commercial success, that's also another reward,” said director Lewis Gilbert. “It means that a lot of people have gone along to see your film and have enjoyed your work. That's something really worthwhile."
Who are the cast in the film Educating Rita (1983) and where are they now?
Julie Walters
Julie resumed her role from the stage and made her first debut on the screen. She admits, “The way people cosset you is lovely. There are cars to take you everywhere and everyone makes a fuss. But the first day I went to rushes and saw my face on that big screen I nearly fainted."
When looking back at the film, the writer Willy Russell said, “The real trouble I had was getting Julie. The Americans, who I was doing the film with, wanted somebody American for Rita, and they suggested Dolly Parton of all people! I wouldn't have that. I told them we had to have the girl who'd played the part on stage in England, but they wanted to move the setting of the play to America.”
The video below shows Rita's opening scene where she first encounters her tutor Frank.
Julie Walters, born on February 22, 1950, in Birmingham has been on our screens since 1983. As a working-class girl from Smethwick, Birmingham, Julie really resonated with the role of a bright girl from a similar background.
Talking during a one-on-one chat with Richard E Grant on BBC Four in 2015, Julie says: “I can still remember Michael saying: ‘There’s a lot of anger in you’.
“And he was right, there was a bit of a chip on my shoulder.”
In the below interview Julie talks of the similarities between her and Rita and how she believes Rita is a real survivor.
Since her big breakout role, Julie has barely stopped. Known as one of Britain’s most famous and loved actress, she has featured in all sorts of films from family classics such as Billy Elliot (2000), Harry Potter (2001-2014) and Brave (2012) to Hollywood movies,Mamma Mia(2008), Brooklyn (2015), Paddington (2017) and her most recent movie, The Secret Garden(2020).
Michael Caine
The most well-known adaptation of Frank was played by the British icon, Michael Caine.
“Then they came up with the idea of having an American professor working in England, but again, for this film, that would not have rung true. Michael was perfectly cast, and he thinks it's one of the best performances he's ever given in a film, I think so too." - Willy Russell
Michael was born in 1933, grew up in Southwark, London. He has an extensive portfolio of work dating back to 1964 in his role in Zulu. Since then, he has appeared on screen in films such as Italian Job (1969), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Batman Begins (2005), Inception (2010), The Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) and most recently in Tenet (2020).
Here Michael reveals his five favourite films of his career.
Who is the cast of the Educating Rita 2021 UK tour?
In the big 40 tour, this year’s production features Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and newcomer Jessica Johnson as Rita.
Although the tour was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, performances at the open-air Minack Theatre, near Penzance, were able to go ahead. The sell-out performances from August 18-29 observed social distancing guidelines, resulting in only 30 per cent of normal seats being available.
The play is now able to get back on the stage and you can book tickets for the 2021 tour here
Stephen Tompkinson
Steven Tompkinson is best known for his roles in Brassed Off (1996), Ballykissangel (1996-1998) and DCI Banks (2010-2016).
We have an entire piece dedicated to Stephen Tompkinson here****.
For more updates on the new stage adaption of Educating Rita check out their website and twitter.
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