Theatre

Educating Rita at The Lowry Manchester Review

Reviewed by Rosemary Knight

Yesterday evening I went to The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays, Manchester to watch the wonderful Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson star in a new stage production of Willy Russell’s Educating Rita. It is always a pleasure to visit The Lowry, which I try to do regularly, as it is a modern, comfortable theatre with extremely pleasant and helpful staff.

Educating Rita was first premiered in 1980, but the story of Rita, an intellectually frustrated, unhappily married hairdresser who aspires to further her education and chooses Frank, a brilliant academic with a drinking problem, as her tutor, is as relevant today as it was over forty years ago. Stephen Tompkinson is superb in his portrayal of Frank, who is initially reluctant to teach Rita, but eventually realises her hidden potential. His charismatic stage presence is so great that I was spellbound, unable to take my eyes away from him. As the story develops, he becomes more enthusiastic as he falls under Rita’s spell and then becomes cynical and bitter as he realises that she has changed into a more confident person, no longer reliant on his teaching skills. Jessica Johnson plays Rita with great flair, breezing onto the stage like a vibrant breath of fresh air, tackling her Liverpudlian accent with great aplomb.

The first half of the performance is extremely funny with lots of laugh out loud comedy moments but the second half is very poignant and much more serious as Rita grows in her new found confidence and Frank becomes more shambolic and disillusioned, eventually losing his position at the university, to be shunted off to Australia.

This performance was outstanding – one of the most enjoyable shows which I have seen for a long time. This is an hilarious, heart-warming comedy and I loved every second, leaving the theatre with a big smile on my face.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £18.50 to £35.50 (booking fees may apply).

Educating Rita is at The Lowry in Manchester from 30 April to 4 May 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.thelowry.com or call the box office on 0843 208 6000.

The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, Manchester, M50 3AZ | 0843 208 6000

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