Curve’s Educating Rita revival confirms cast

Exclusive: Educating Rita will be revived this autumn at Curve and casting has been revealed.

Willy Russell’s comedy drama follows Susan ‘Rita’ White, who dreams of more in her life and enrols in the Open University, where she forms an unlikely friendship with her dishevelled teacher, Frank.

The Made at Curve production will play at the Leicester theatre from 26 September to 17 October.

Curve’s associate director, Cara Nolan, will direct the piece following her production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? last autumn.

Alexandra Mardell will play the title role. About the character, she said: “She is iconic, and still so relevant today,” adding that it is “a dream role for a Northern actress to play.”

Opposite her will be Dominic Mafham as Frank. He commented: “Educating Rita is a very funny but also deeply moving play, and Frank is such a rich and complex character.”

The roles will be covered by Helena Rimmer and Earl Carpenter, respectively.

Set and costumes will be designed by Michael Taylor, with lighting design by Katy Morison and sound design by Jack Baxter. Casting is by Richard Johnston for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, while the assistant director is Curve resident creative Martha Kent, alongside Curve’s Birkbeck resident assistant director Bentleigh Nesbit.

Accessible performances include captioned (8 October, 7pm), British Sign Language interpreted (9 October, 7pm) and audio described (17 October, 2pm with a touch tour from 12:30pm).