THE DUCHESS THEATRE, LONG EATON: The Riverside Drama Company present Educating Rita, June 26-28, at 7.30pm. Tickets: £5 (£3.50 concessions). Call: 0115 875 0506.

EDUCATING Rita is Willy Russell's most renowned work. It involves only two characters: Rita, a Liverpudlian hairdresser, who starts an Open University course with the burning desire to better herself, and Frank, her heavy-drinking, world-weary tutor. 
Rita hopes that Frank will teach her 'everything', and yet it is Frank who embarks on a voyage of discovery. Rita breathes a breath of fresh air into the cobwebs of disillusionment gathering in his almost secular university study. 
Rita yearns for education, while Frank is captivated by her brash innocence. This is a great story. A modern-day Pygmalion, the almost crude, sarcastic humour is tempered with a bitter-sweet poignancy. 

Rita is played by Elizabeth O'Hara. Her voice as shrill as fingernails on a blackboard, she captures the raw brilliance and passion of working-class Rita. Her movement is sometimes a little overplayed, but this is an inspired performance. 

Martin Holtom, perfect as Frank, manages to portray both his irritation and tenderness for the strangely enigmatic creature who turns his literary world upside down. 

There are some slightly messy set changes and a couple of technical slips with the lighting, but these are probably first night gremlins. 

Yet again, I witnessed a half-full auditorium. People of Long Eaton, you are missing a worthy piece of theatre. Go and book your tickets! 

- Fiona Watson