We like to keep things moving at Thompson Promotions, so while Jane decides on what stone-cold classic she tackles next as her adaptation, I decided to do something I’ve wanted to put on for years!

Willy Russell’s Educating Rita!

To give you the rundown:

Rita, a sharp-witted 26-year-old hairdresser, is hungry for a change. Dissatisfied with the routine of her working-class life, she enrols in an Open University course in English Literature, seeking more than just an education—she wants choices and the freedom to forge a new path for herself.

Enter Frank, a disillusioned academic, failed poet, and dedicated drinker who reluctantly takes her on as a student to pay for his booze.

In a series of hilarious and heart-warming tutorials set entirely in Frank’s chaotic university office, the two clash and connect, challenging each other’s perceptions of class, culture, and life itself. As Rita’s raw intelligence blossoms under Frank’s cynical guidance, their lives are transformed forever.

This is not the first time Thompson Promotions has produced a Willy Russell play, as we put on ‘One For The Road’ back in 2015!

Tickets are already moving, which highlights the love for the 1983 film with Julie Walters and Michael Caine.  So book now to ensure you get your preferred seat at The Victoria Hall Theatre this July!