By arrangement with Casarotto Ramsay & Associates Ltd,
John Payton & Lucy Blakeman for Popular Productions Ltd present:

Gillian Budd & Paul Prescott in

Educating Rita
a comedy by Willy Russell

Directed by John Payton
Design by Caroline Reid
Lighting by David Buffham

Frank (Paul Prescott) is a tutor of English whose disillusioned outlook on life drives him to the bottle. Rita (Gillian Budd) is a hairdresser hungry to find some meaning to life. With Frank as her tutor Rita embarks on an Open University course and her education process begins. The effects are both amusing and dramatic as her fresh, intuitive approach becomes clouded and stifled as she grapples with the problem of a formal education, while Frank also learns something - to believe in himself again.

Originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) it was first performed at the Warehouse in June 1980 and then transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in September of the same year. The RSC production ran in the West End for two and a half years since when Educating Rita has never been out of production somewhere in the world. Educating Rita swept the board and won multiple awards for best comedy and best play. It was later made into a OSCAR nominated and BAFTA winning movie starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine. (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress).

This stunning new production starring Gillian Budd as Rita and
Paul Prescott as Frank will open at the Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai on 21st November. It is directed by John Payton, Designed by Caroline Reid and produced by John Payton & Lucy Blakeman for Popular Productions Ltd.

'Simply a marvellous play, painfully funny and passionately serious' Sunday Times

'As full of regret as it is of promise ... the
deft moments of its comedy are splendidly refreshing'
The Times

'Wonderfully acted and perfectly cast...the production does complete justice to the
acclaimed Willy Russell play' Timeout

Budd’s portrayal of the eager to learn Rita is vibrant and energetic…highly impressive’ Gulf News

Prescott’s beautifully portrayed Frank…in an endearing and deeply moving performance’ Gulf News

Mesmerising..poignant..experience the magic of theatre in all its splendour’ Gulf News