Educating Rita

Following a hugely successful run here at the Chocolate Factory, we are delighted to announce our production of Educating Rita will be playing at Assembly, George Square during the Edinburgh Fringe 2012. Matthew Kelly and Claire Sweeney star in Willy Russell’s modern classic, directed by Tamara Harvey.

Rita, a young, brash hairdresser, has recently discovered a passion for English literature and enrols with the Open University. Her fresh, unschooled reaction to the classics challenges the attitudes of the University and her lecturer Frank who begins to question his own understanding of his work and himself.

Matthew Kelly has worked extensively in theatre and television, winning an Olivier award for his role as Lennie in Birmingham Rep’s production of Of Mice and Men. Other theatre includes: Legally Blonde (UK tour), Buried Child (Leicester Curve), Waiting For Godot (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Spamalot (UK tour) and Lend Me A Tenor (Gielgud). Matthew’s television credits include Benidorm, Bleak House and Cold Blood, and he continues to enjoy a very successful career as a television presenter.

Claire Sweeney is well known for her role as Lindsey Corkhill on the popular soap Brookside, and has also starred in the award winning Clocking Off, Merseybeat and Candy Cabs. Claire’s theatre credits include Roxy in Chicago (Adelphi), Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls with Patrick Swayze (Piccadilly), Tell Me on a Sunday (UK Tour) and most recently as Paulette in the UK tour of Legally Blonde.

Tamara Harvey directed Smash! at the Chocolate Factory in 2011. Other theatre credits include: The Kitchen Sink and Where’s My Seat (Bush), Tell Me on a Sunday (UK tour) and Dancing at Lughnasa (Birmingham Rep).