" Hard work spotlights the character of people: some people turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, an some don't turn up at all" Sam Ewing (American author) In this essay I would describe how I would direct Act 1,scene 8 of Educating Rita by Willy Russell.
The play illustrates the different levels of education and how the different social classes in our society perceive it. For example Rita wants to be like the upper class in society -"Talking seriously, confidently, with knowledge, livin' a civilized life. "These different aspects of education can change people's social standing in society. Therefore this means if you are knowledgeable and educated you feel superior and can exert power. The social problems were shaped by the 'Thatcherite' era when greed and egoism contributed to the erosion of the social fabric in Britain.
Margaret Thatcher then prime minister said- "There is no such thing as society, just the family and the individual" In creating 'Educating Rita' Willy Russell clearly portrays the social problems in society of that at the time.He establishes a firm link to reality by relating his life to Rita's, he also attended evening courses at an open university, and was a hairdresser before returning back to education. Rita and Russell were very similar in many ways. They both knew that there were two ways of dealing with their future.
That they could both accept their life with no education and fulfill their destiny as a poor person, or they could reject this fact and try hard to get a better job, a better life, or like Rita's mother says, "A better song to sing".However they both opted to the second way, and they both succeeded. During one of Frank and Rita's first meetings Frank asked her why she did not walk into his office twenty years ago; her reply was slightly humorous which one would expect if she had loved him she would have responded differently. Frank is fascinated by her behavior -not being influenced by any rules of middle class restraint, which gives her independent thoughts to a certain extent.He admires her, thinking that she is clever in her own way.
Frank asks Rita why she had not chosen a course in politics, meaning that she is intelligent and cable of recognizing complex structures although she interprets them in a quite an unorthodox way that would not be accepted by an examiner or academics. By the end of scene he directly compares his experience to a Frankenstein creation, as if he created a monster -Rita now is a completely different to the one in the beginning of the play.Rita is not only educated but she is an achiever, she relishes the fact that she is now an equal amongst equals truly Independent and self-confident whereas, Frank is drinking himself into an early grave, and he is still avoiding writing poetry. In a way he resents the fact that Rita had achieved so much for the simple reason he wants her to need him and be with him because he has fallen desperately in love with her. When Rita presses him for feedback on her essay he replies: "Oh sod Macbeth" Frank thinks that he is helping Rita by saying there are more important things than the essay, Like her husband throwing her out.
If I were to direct Act 1 Scene 8, I would place Frank staring out of his window not interested in teaching Rita about Macbeth but more on her well being, at this point Rita's eyes are steadily are on Frank. The way the camera is positioned I would have a Point of View shot from Rita. I chose this camera shot because it shows the intensity of the situation; also I wanted the audience to know 'The eyes are the window to your soul' and to see that Rita has courage and strength through her time of difficulty- however she is still fighting.When directing a scene for a play, it is very important that the audience feel the characters emotions, and I have felt I have done this, I showed the importance of character.
"I want y' to tell me what you think about it? " Rita insists that Frank gives her an opinion about her work. She has gone to see him as her tutor not just as a friend. This part is crucial because she is desperate and needs to know what he thinks. I would have Rita's hands firmly on the table in front of her and in a calm and soft manner she asks him what he thinks.
I would then follow the camera shot to a medium close up of her face then switch to Frank's. I wanted this to show his sincerity to her and we wonder would he actually tell her the truth? The camera angle now is at Point of View of Frank's eyes. I then would follow this with a close up of the floor because he is jesting whether to be honest, this is then followed by a long shot of the college grounds. This was to show that he isn't really focusing on what she is really asking. Then the final shot would be a close up of Rita's face.
To show that he is finally going to be honest with her and come to a decision. "I really don't what to say? " Frank knows that in his heart that Rita's essay isn't good enough to pass but he is being careful with her feelings. However he is also afraid that if he tells her the truth she might stop attending his classes. The stage directions say that Frank is sitting in his chair. I would have him standing in front of Rita, holding her hand in sympathetic way. The camera angle now cuts to a close up of Rita's face to show her eagerness to find out Frank's opinion.
Frank is prolonging the situation because he is trying to move away from a teaching role and more into a friendship role. The camera is now at a mid- range shot showing them engaged in conversation. Rita's body language is stiff and not relaxed and compared to Frank's posture Rita looks like she is glued to the spot. "But if you're going to write this sort of stiff you're going to have to change" Frank thinks that this will discourage her and he wants her to stay and improve.
He also wants her to stay and once she passed her exams she would no longer need him. I now think that Frank's gestures would be very important in this part of the play. His gestures are exaggerated to cover up his feelings, like pulling his beard and his fingers getting entangled in it. At the end of the scene I would have a point of view from Rita, looking into Frank's eyes and with all her energy and determination throws her work in the bin.
This is a very important scene in the play because the relationship has now changed.It is now Rita who is independent and strong and Frank who is weak and dependent on her. I would like to conclude that both the book and the film are exceptional work and the author does great justice. After analyzing the characters and the play.
I've now realized that everyone possesses the potential to become achievers and winners. The world has so many social contrasts that we fail to appreciate. Furthermore it has now encouraged and enlightened me to find within the potential to learn and achieve.
