Act 2 Scene 8 - Educating Rita

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Act2 Scene8

The lights come up on FRANK sitting anxiously at a desk in an office with a large window and bookcases LEFT, on one wall hangs a good print of a nude religious scene.

FRANK is reading through some essays and occasionally mutters something about them, eventually there is a knock at the door.

Frank: Come in

Rita enters and faces Frank, there is a short pause before Rita takes off her coat to reveal the dress which Frank gave her.

Rita: D’y like it then

Frank: (Somewhat taken aback) Rita! What the hell are you doing here!

Rita: Is that anyway to treat an old friend, I though y’ might at least be pleased to see me.

Frank: No, no I am, I just wasn’t expecting to see you.  In your last letter you said that you were staying in Manchester until you had finished your literature course at the university.

Rita: Tch.  I was going to but in the end, I needed a break from it.  It was a bit of a shock to me system starting at a proper university y’ know.  You never stop working! I have two essays a week to do and my tutor he’s proper strict like, if I don’t get my essays in on time then he gets into a right strop, can’t stand the man to be honest, the smug git.

Join now!

Frank: (Smiling) He’s nothing like me then.

Rita: No.

Frank: Excellent! He sounds like a splendid teacher Ri…

Rita: (Interrupting) Don’t be daft Frank.  Look at you, head of department here in Sydney, that’s hardly doing badly for yourself is it, you must have done something right mustn’t you, well?

Frank: Not really, I’ve just had good students, I’ve been lucky.

Frank sighs and then opens a desk in his draw and pulls out a bottle of Whisky

            Drink?

Rita: No ta. So y’ never gave it up then?

Frank: (Pouring himself a glass of Whiskey) The ...

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