Educating Rita

The Lowry, Salford

3 Stars

Willy Russell's affectionate play about wise-cracking Liverpudlian Rita and her struggles to escape the strictures of her humdrum life struck a chord with audiences when it premiered in 1980. A hugely successful film starring Julie Walters followed two years later.

Written at the onset of Thatcher's revolution against the working class, the play captures the huge difficulty facing the poor, especially women, who grapple with an education system that consigns them to a life of tedium and poverty.

Thirty-three years later, the ghost of Thatcher is permeating the current government's policies and director Chris Honer is right in saying that now's an excellent moment for a revival as arts budgets are threatened and the value of arts education is disputed in some quarters.

The stage play has a more claustrophobic feel than the film. There are just two characters and all the action takes place in the stuffy study of lecturer Frank Bryant. Much like Professor Higgins in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, Frank begins to mould Rita as his protege.

But as her confidence grows, she begins to challenge Frank's views and, as she blossoms intellectually, Frank sinks into an alcoholic haze of bitterness and cynicism.

The success of the play very much depends on the spark between the two characters and although it must be daunting to reprise roles which have become synonymous with megastars Julie Walters and Michael Caine, Gillian Kearney and Philip Bretherton (pictured)give commendable performances as the odd couple coming to terms with the changes in their lives.

The Tory faithful at their annual Manchester shindig will no doubt hear more of Michael Gove's promise to drive education further from working-class children. As Russell's play shows, education can be liberating and that could be dangerous in the hands of working people.

Runs until October 12. Box office: 0843 208-6010.

Paul Foley