Willy Russell's British story of an aging alcoholic teacher turned tutor and his prodigal working-class student kicked off its nine-show run 8 p.m. Sept. 5.
As part of the Ghost and Spice Productions performance series that will take place at the ArtsCenter every Sunday through March, "Educating Rita" is the only play that also runs throughout the week. This will give a greater number of audience members the opportunity to see what the center's theater program has to offer.
And, though the West End space is too small for a full-scale production, performers Rachel Klem and John Murphy made the play larger than life last Thursday night.
Klem plays Rita, a melodramatic girl who aims to learn and escape her job as a hairdresser, her unfulfilling family life and a social scene that is bound to the local pub. But her approach to a standard education is certainly out of the ordinary.
Rita meets Frank (Murphy), a former poet and perpetually drunk professor who divides his time between office and pub. The unorthodox instructor detests his students almost more than he seems to loathe himself. Rita and Frank are a study in contrast -- between youth and age, ignorance and education, life and listlessness.
The story describes the regeneration of Frank under Rita's brash and vibrant influence and the degeneration of Rita as she loses herself in the opinions and theories of other students, great authors and intellectuals. Frank strangely falls into love or obsession -- take your pick -- with Rita while she tries to emulate the intellectual world and to climb the social ladder.
Although the play drags a bit due to the lack of motion on the small stage and a mediocre lighting situation, Murphy and Klem take the extremely humorous script and fill its characters with life. There are a number of laugh-out-loud moments.
As both a comedy and a drama that offers serious commentary about choice, self and society, "Educating Rita" is pertinent to a young audience. Though its context retains ties to an older crowd -- it was first performed in 1980 in London -- "Educating Rita" presents a message that any viewer can understand. The play also manages to temper any preaching with clever, well-written dialogue.
The final four performances of "Educating Rita" will be at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. both Sept. 15 and 22. For ticket information, call the ArtsCenter at 929-2787.
