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 Topic 13 - Shared knowledge and absurdist drama (Session A) skip topic navigation

Topic Contents
Shared knowledge
More about shared schematic knowledge
Our schematic knowledge of a typical tutorial
Educating Rita
Analysing Rita
 
Useful Links
Educating Rita Passage
Readings
 

Educating Rita Passage

This extract is very near to the beginning of the play Educating Rita by Willy Russell More about Willy Russell. Rita is an Open University student who is meeting Frank, her English tutor, for the first time. The conversation takes place in Frank’s office. Rita has knocked and Frank has said ‘Come in’, but Rita has had some difficulty in getting the door to open. Irritated, she now stands by Frank’s desk.

FRANK stares at RITA who stands by a desk

1. FRANK:

You are?

2. RITA:

What am I?

3. FRANK:

Pardon?

4. RITA:

What?

5. FRANK

(looking for the admission papers): Now you are?

6. RITA:

I'm a what?

FRANK looks up and then returns to the papers as RITA goes to hang her coat on the door hooks.

7. RITA

(noticing the picture): That's a nice picture, isn't it? (She goes up to it.)

8. FRANK:

Erm...yes. I suppose it is...nice.

9. RITA

(studying the picture): It's very erotic.

10. FRANK

(looking up): Actually I don't think I've looked at it for about ten years, but yes, I suppose it is.

11. RITA:

There's no suppose about it. Look at those tits.

FRANK coughs and goes back to looking for the admission paper.

12. RITA:

Is it supposed to be erotic? I mean when he painted it do y'think he wanted to turn people on?

13. FRANK:

Erm...probably.

14. RITA:

I'll bet he did y'know. Y'don't paint pictures like that just so that people can admire the brush strokes do y'?

15. FRANK

(giving a short laugh): No...no ... you're probably right.

16. RITA:

This was the pornography of its day, wasn’t it? It’s sort of like Men Only isn’t it? But in those days they had to pretend it wasn’t erotic so they made it religious, didn’t they? Do you think it’s erotic?

17. FRANK

(taking a look): I think it's very beautiful.

18. RITA:

I didn't ask y' if it was beautiful.

19. FRANK:

But the term 'beautiful' covers the many feelings I have about that picture, including the feeling that, yes, it is erotic.

20. RITA

(coming back to the desk): D'y'get a lot like me?

21. FRANK:

Pardon?

22. RITA:

Do you get a lot of students like me?

23. FRANK:

Not exactly, no...

24. RITA:

I was dead surprised when they took me. I don't suppose they would have done if it'd been a proper university. The Open University's different though, isn't it?

25. FRANK:

I've...erm...not had much more experience of it than you. This is the first O.U. work I've done.

26. RITA:

D'y'need the money?

27. FRANK:

I do as a matter of fact.

28. RITA:

It's terrible these days, the money, isn't it? With the inflation an' that. You work for the ordinary university, don't y'? With the real students. The Open University's different isn't it?

29. FRANK:

It's supposed to embrace a more comprehensive studentship, yes.

30. RITA

(inspecting a bookcase): Degrees for dishwashers.

31. FRANK:

Would you...erm...like to sit down?

32. RITA:

No! Can I smoke? (She goes to her bag and rummages in it.)

33. FRANK:

Tobacco?

34. RITA:

Yeh. (She half laughs.) Was that a joke? (She takes out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter.) Here - d'y'want one? (She takes out two cigarettes and dumps the packet on the desk.)

35. FRANK

(after a pause): Ah...I'd love one.

36. RITA:

Well, have one.

37. FRANK

(after a pause): I...don't smoke. I made a promise not to smoke.

38. RITA:

Well, I won't tell anyone.

39. FRANK:

Promise?

 


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