Another stage play I saw recently was Educating Rita; I had seen the 1983 film version, one of the first movies I ever watched on a VHS tape. If you don't remember that movie, it's about a middle age professor (Michael Caine) who tutors a young, unschooled married hair stylist (Julie Walters) who dreams of becoming more cultured; in the process they change each other's lives (a premise reminiscent of Pygmalion or My Fair Lady). It's an inspiring tale, filled with witty dialogue and many references to great literature. The movie version is delightful - Caine and Walters are top-notch and deserved their Oscar nominations. And I like how the movie breaks out of the professor's office setting, taking you inside Rita's house and inside the saloons where the professor frequents. However, the movie feels dated, especially the synthetic music score. On stage, it's a different experience - only the two main characters; in the production I saw, the actors were outstanding, especially the actor who played Rita, a challenging part that she knocked out of the park. I hope she gets some local award recognition. Alas, this may be an example of where there play is actually better than the film.
