Review: EDUCATING RITA, Reading Rep Theatre

The filter-like haze hits you first. Then the occasional lighting, the tiled ceiling, and the faint whiff of the 80s.

But it's the arrival of two extraordinary performances – Madelyn Smedley's fizzing, fearless Rita and Julius D'Silva's weary, cynical Frank – that makes Reading Rep Theatre's Educating Rita something truly special. And it's also really fun. 

Willy Russell's 1980 two-hander – in which a working-class Liverpool hairdresser enrols with the Open University and is paired with Frank, a disillusioned, whisky-soaked English literature lecturer – remains one of the great British comedies. But what makes Genesis Future Directors Award winner Annie Kershaw's production so compelling is the way it refuses to let the play settle into cosy nostalgia.

Yes, it's set in the 80s (and Cara Evans' detailed set and costume design root it firmly there – from the period-perfect hair and wardrobe to the unmistakable haze that somehow transports you the moment you take your seat) but the pace of the text, the bite of the comedy, and the raw emotional truth of both performances makes it feel as though Russell wrote it yesterday. The themes of class, education, personal freedom and the courage to want more from life haven't aged a day, and this production makes sure you feel that in your bones.

Smedley is a revelation as Rita. Her comic timing is razor-sharp, wringing every laugh from Russell's brilliantly observed dialogue with an ease that belies the enormous demands of the role. But what elevates her performance beyond the comedy is her ability to flip, seemingly effortlessly, into the play's rarer dramatic moments. A scene in the first act offers a flash of raw vulnerability beneath Rita's bravado – the laughter dies instantly and something far more powerful takes its place. It's a performance of real range and depth, and it marks Smedley as a talent to watch.

D'Silva is her perfect foil as Frank. Where Rita buzzes with nervous energy and relentless curiosity, D'Silva's Frank is world-weary, sardonic and quietly devastating – a man drowning in books and booze who has long since stopped believing in his own worth. The chemistry between them is a joy to watch (while his voice is a joy to listen to). They bounce off each other with the kind of natural, lived-in rapport that makes every exchange feel spontaneous, even as the precision of the text work reveals just how meticulously this has been rehearsed. 

The production values are outstanding across the board. Adam Jeffreys' lighting design is a particular highlight – inventive, atmospheric and beautifully judged, making creative use of the space's tiled ceiling panels in ways I certainly didn't see coming. The lighting shifts between scenes, paired with Holly Khan's original composition and soundscape, drive the pacing beautifully, each transition landing with purpose and punch. Evans' set – Frank's cluttered university office, complete with boozy bookshelves and a window that becomes a character in its own right – is richly detailed, creating the perfect backdrop for this collision of two very different worlds.

Kershaw's direction is the third star of the night. She finds the contemporary pulse in Russell's writing without ever forcing it, letting the play's social commentary land naturally through the performances rather than signposting it. This is a production that manages to feel both warmly nostalgic and bracingly relevant. As Russell himself explores, education and ambition remain one of the few routes across the class divide, and that message resonates just as powerfully in 2026 as it did when the play premiered.

At Reading Rep, a venue whose intimate scale and community spirit are fast becoming one of the region's great theatrical assets, this is exactly the kind of programming that makes a local theatre essential. This is the first time Educating Rita has graced the Reading Rep stage, and Kershaw – who started here at 16 as a car park volunteer – has returned to direct a production that honours both the play and the place. It shows.

And to quote Rita, "it was brilliant."

Educating Rita runs at Reading Rep Theatre until 21 March 2026