Classic comedy-drama, Educating Rita, comes to Claverdon
- Mar 17
- 2 min read
Educating Rita by Willy Russell presented by YPI+ in the Dorothea Mitchell Hall, Claverdon CV35 8HF. Directed by Pete Davis. Performances on Friday 27 March at 7pm. Saturday 28 March at 7pm and Sunday 29 March – 2pm.
Preview
Audiences in Warwickshire will soon have the chance to enjoy a much-loved British theatre classic as YPI+ present Educating Rita at the Dorothea Mitchell Hall in Claverdon. The production runs for three performances only:
Written by Willy Russell, Educating Rita is a warm, witty and moving two-hander that tells the story of Rita, a lively working-class hairdresser who decides to enrol on an Open University course in a bid to change her life. Her tutor Frank is a disillusioned academic whose passion for literature has long since faded. Over the course of a year, the unlikely pair challenge, inspire and transform one another through humour, honesty and sometimes difficult truths.
YPI+ was first developed in 2020 by Rachel and Pete Davis. After successfully running their youth theatre programme, Young Performers Institute (YPI), for several years, all planned sessions and productions were suddenly cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid.
During lockdown, missing the creative process of making theatre, Pete and Rachel reached out to friends from the local amateur theatre community and organised a group to read A View from the Bridge together over Zoom, simply for the pleasure of exploring the play.
Meeting virtually several times a week, the group read and discussed the play in depth. When restrictions lifted, they realised they had invested so much work into the piece that it deserved to be shared with an audience. In-person rehearsals began and YPI+ was born.
In recent years both Pete and Rachel faced several medical challenges that again limited their ability to work in theatre, but their passion for producing live performance never faded. Determined to return to the stage, they decided to reopen YPI+ and bring another production to audiences.
Director Pete Davis had long wanted to stage Educating Rita and knew exactly who he wanted to play the central roles.
“I’ve wanted to direct Educating Rita for many years,” says Pete. “It’s a beautifully written play that is funny, honest and incredibly human. Having worked with Sharon Sully and Stuart Lawson previously on A View from the Bridge, I knew they would bring real depth, warmth and truth to Rita and Frank. It’s been wonderful to watch these characters grow during rehearsals.”
The production stars Sharon Sully as Rita and Stuart Lawson as Frank. Stuart is a member of the Priory Theatre, while Sharon performs regularly with both the Priory Theatre and the Talisman Theatre & Arts Centre in Kenilworth.
YPI+ are proud to share this special production with audiences – bringing their passion for theatre back to the stage once again.
Tickets are now available and audiences are encouraged to book up in advance:
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