Educating Rita [antikvár]

Plot synopsis Educating Rita is very simple in terms of storyHne and structure. It has two Acts which use the same set throughout. There are only two people on stage, although other characters are made vivid through dialogue. The plot itself is as follows. Rita is a young, working-class hairdresser who has made the difficult decision to break away fi-om the restrictions placed upon her by her family and her community. She has decided to become more educated and culturally aware, and she joins an Open University course on hterature. Frank, a disillusioned writer and alcohoHc, is her tutor. He is initially unwilling to tutor her, fearing to spoil her essential innocence and honesty. He beheves an education will corrupt her. Rita has to contend with strong opposition fi-om her husband, who resents the way she has changed, and wishes to start a family. When her husband discovers that she has continued to take the pill without his knowledge, he makes her choose between him and her college course. She chooses her course. From this point on she is determined to improve herself. Her trip to summer school is a huge landmark for her. She meets other students who share her passion and interest, and she begins to throw herself into a new way of hfe. She becomes very absorbed with culture and Hterature and Frank feels his worst fears for her have been justified. Rita is made to confront her own superficiality when her flatmate attempts suicide. This makes her reahse that high culture, art and literature are not the answers to all of life's problems. Despite this realisation, she chooses to write her exam, and passes weU. She returns to Frank, with whom she has quarreUed, to offer an apology and to acknowledge the true worth of her education. Frank himself has been sent away firom the coUege because of his drunken behaviour. He asks Rita if she will join him in Australia, but she avoids answering by reflecting on the many choices avaUable to her now. She teUs Frank that there is only one thing she can give him in return for aU he has done - a good haircut!