Educating Rita Raises Serious Issues Essay -- Educating Rita Essays

'Educating Rita' Raises Serious Issues 'Educating Rita' was voted best comedy of the year when performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1980 and by 1983 it had risen to be the fourth most popular play on the British stage. Russell uses humour as a tool to engage and entertain his audience whilst at the same time dealing with serious topics. Without the humour, the play would be less accessible and would probably have reached a much more limited and elitist audience. The play is naturalistic with a fixed and simple staging, which firmly reflects the real world. The entire play is set in one study room in a red brick university. The room is Frank's environment - cluttered with books representing both the world of knowledge and the disordered state of Frank's mind and life. It is a far cry from the world to which Rita is used, but one to which she aspires in her quest to 'find herself'. By contrast Frank is disillusioned with his life as an academic and the audience quickly gathers the impression that Frank would escape from his world if only he could. This theme is handled hilariously from the opening of the play. Rita's bungled attempt to enter the room, fumbling with the door handle and cursing, is a metaphor for the apparent barriers between Rita's working class environment and the middle class, educated world that she is trying to break into. "The poor sod on the other side on the outside won't be able to get in. An' you won't be able to get out" (Act one, scene one) The mismatch between Rita's language and academic setting provides a great source of humour throughout the play. Rita's accent and dialect clearly sets her apart and so does the constant swearing and joking. At times however... ...ntually have to come to terms with their mediocrity. Although the play is hilarious the seriousness is never lost. The humour is mainly at a verbal level and slapstick situation comedy is avoided. The humour helps the author to bring out an essentially optimistic flavour despite all the tragedy. Rita completes her transition and ends the play as a well-rounded individual feeling herself to be in full control of her destiny. She has learned a key lesson on the way that she does not have to change her personality and be like other people to become more mature. As Rita rises, Frank falls as the drama unfolds. The play ends with his carrer at its lowest point after students complain about his drunkenness. However, even for Frank there is the hope of a new start and renewal with his sabbatical to Australia a country which for him symbolises new beginnings.