Educating Rita to recommence tour in July 2021

Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson will lead a new summer 2021 tour of Willy Russell's Educating Rita from July.

Directed by Max Roberts, the piece will open at the MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton before visiting Royal and Derngate Northampton, Rose Theatre Kingston, Everyman Cheltenham, York Theatre Royal, Horsham Capitol and Newcastle Theatre Royal.

Produced by David Pugh and originally seen at Theatre by the Lake, this production of Russell's 1980 piece has set and costume designs by Patrick Connellan, lighting design by Drummond Orr and sound design by David Flynn.

It follows a married hairdresser Rita who returns to education and wants to train as a teacher, where she encounters frustrated poet and academic Frank.

Pugh said: "Rita is the most extraordinary character – she wanted to change and learn so much and that's everything we're all going through at the moment, to adapt to the world as it is now. What we know is that Educating Rita gives you a great night out at the theatre and that's the best any of us can hope for."

Sign up for our daily newsletter for more