Take a world renowned playwright and combine with two very talented actors. What do you get? A great night of theatre!

Willy Russell has penned some very famous plays, Blood Brothers and Shirley Valentine to name just two. But it’s his classic Educating Rita that has recently been re-invented at Sydney’s Tap Gallery.

Educating Rita is a very smart comedy about two very different people. Frank is a jaded, bored, borderline alcoholic, university Professor. Rita is an uneducated girl from the very wrong side of the tracks. But this is not a love story, this is the tale of one girl’s extraordinary transition.

When the play opens we meet Frank in his stuffy room at the university. He’s searching through his bookshelf for what appears to be a lost book of plays. All of a sudden he cheers with joy, and produces a well hidden bottle of scotch! Frank settles down to a quick nip, and in comes his new student, from an open-learning problem he is loathe to participate in – Rita.

Rita is keen to expand her knowledge, to learn and to grow, and it’s up to Frank to attempt to teach her. You can tell from the outset these two are like chalk and cheese, it’s not going to be easy.

As the play progresses we learn a lot about both Frank and Rita and we witness Rita’s beautiful character development.

When a play only has two actors on stage the entire time, they need to be superb. Michael Ross and Catherine McGraffin do not disappoint. Michael has appeared in numerous plays for Ensemble Theatre and has appeared on TV in shows like All Saints and Home And Away and the movie Thank God He Met Lizzie. His portrayal of Frank is heartwrenching as well as uplifting.

But it is Catherine who ultimately shines here, a graduate of NIDA and Brent Street, and also appearing in a number of plays for Ensemble Theatre, this lady is one rising star to watch out for. She bounces onto the stage with all the energy of a fireball and doesn’t let up until after the curtain falls. Frank describes Rita in the opening scene as a breath of fresh air, but he could really be describing Catherine herself.

The set design also works a treat. The professor’s office appears to have not changed in years and is a perfect reference to the fact that even though this play was written and set in 1980, its characters and story are timeless. It’s only helped by the intimacy of the Tap Gallery theatre.

This play engages the audience and doesn’t let go. The audience on opening night cheered and bellowed for a number of curtain calls – a sure sign that it was very well received.

If you like your comedy smart and witty then don’t miss this one. With ticket prices only $25 it’s a bargain.

Educating Rita is playing at the Tap Gallery Theatre until March 22.