By STEVEN HOWELL
MONTREAL — You live. You learn. And you're never too old to do both.
The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts at the Saidye presents "Educating Rita," the endearing comedy stage classic by British playwright Willy Russell. The three-week run premieres Sunday.
The play tells the tale of Rita, a 26-year-old lower-class woman from Liverpool, England, who decides to go back to school. The work explores themes of social class, education and opposites attracting.
"Rita goes to university to try and open her mind and learn," said Director Marcia (pronounced mar-see-a) Kash, who also directed the recent Segal Centre productions "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Tuesdays with Morrie."
"Educating Rita" is very much like a "Pygmalion" or "My Fair Lady" type of tale, said Kash.
The play is a two-hander in which a main lead actress and actor are the only two performers on stage. Accompanying Rita on her journey is Frank (Ric Reid), a slightly jaded, alcoholic university professor in his mid-50s.
"Frank has given up on the world. He's disillusioned," Kash said. "Rita reawakens him in the time they spend together. These two characters form a real bond and friendship and learn from one another. She learns how to become a student and understand literature and it changes her life, and he learns about life from her."
Frank has a very strong journey himself, the director said, but this play is really about Rita.
"It's not a love story, but it is a wonderful relationship."
'SURREAL'
Kash enjoys her own storied history with "Educating Rita." While this marks her first time directing the play, she has performed the role of Rita five times.
"I was the first Rita in Canada," Kash said with a nostalgic chuckle.
She first performed the role at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre in the 1980s. She also did so in Toronto.
"It's been a long time since I've been Rita," Kash said. "And it's a surreal experience directing it."
She prefers to distance herself from the task of acting to let current actress Carly Street call the role her own for the Segal run.
"I come at it from a different point of view now," Kash said.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL
"Rita" began life as a stage work by Russell in 1980. It was adapted as a major motion picture in 1983 starring Julie Walters as Rita and Michael Caine as Frank. Russell also penned another strong woman's role in "Shirley Valentine."
"He writes fabulously for women," Kash said. "I have no idea why. He gets it. He totally gets it. His characters are so three-dimensional and easy to understand. He's a fabulous writer."
You may just see yourself in either character depending on where you are in life, says Kash.
"It's a fantastic, entertaining, funny, moving, delightful play," Kash said. "You will thoroughly enjoy yourselves."
"Educating Rita" is presented Sunday through Dec. 13.
The Segal Centre for Performing Arts at the Saidye is at 5170 Cote Ste. Catherine. Evening and matinee show times vary. Tickets cost $31 to $40 for adults and $29 to $36 for seniors depending on day and time of performance. Tickets cost $22 for students at all times. Call the box office at (514) 739-7944 or visit www.segalcentre.org.
Directions: Take Autoroute 15 North from the Champlain border crossing and continue over the Champlain Bridge. Take Exit 66, Cote St. Luc/Queen Mary and continue on the Decarie Expressway service road for about five minutes. Turn right on Cote Ste. Catherine. The Segal Centre is two blocks on your right.
E-mail Steven Howell at: writeonbetty@sympatico.ca
