How would you stage and direct Act One Scene One of 'Educating Rita' for maximum dramatic impact?

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Alex Coates                                                                                                      10.3.2002

        There are two major difficulties in staging the play ‘Educating Rita’ – one is the problem of there being just two characters – Frank and Rita – and the other is that the play is set in one room throughout (Frank’s office). In this essay I will try to resolve these by showing how I would like Act One Scene One performed.

        Although Frank’s office would be rectangular in a film, it must lose its front wall for us to be able to see inside when put on stage. The side walls must also be opened out to allow the whole audience to see most of the set. Because a lot of the action takes place around Frank’s desk, it will have to be fairly central and towards the front of the set. The desk will be just right of centre, and tilted at a slight angle towards the left side of the set. This will allow the audience to see Frank’s face and what he’s doing. Having the desk at an angle will also let the audience see Rita when she sits opposite the desk. This will overcome the problem of the audience not being able to see the characters talk.

        There will be an overloaded desk tidy on Frank’s desk, full of essays and unopened letters – symbolizing that he doesn’t really care about his work, and doesn’t get on with it. The desk will have a desk lamp, and a computer monitor, printer and mouse. The desk will have draws underneath, in which there will be stationery and a bottle of whisky. The main computer will be kept under the desk, so that it is not in the way. I will put a comfortable, black leather, executive chair behind his desk to show that he is middle class, because leather chairs are not usually associated with lower classes. This and the other props on Frank’s desk should press home to the audience that Frank is a middle class university tutor.

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        There will be another less comfortable chair opposite the desk, in which Rita will sit. It will be moved further away from the desk when she enters the set, as she will position it to her own liking. This will also highlight her lack of social behaviour, and enable the audience to see her throughout the play.

        Rita will enter the set through a large double door at the back, which will be old-fashioned, and will have an arc-shaped piece of glass above it. The doors will be fairly grand due to the play being set in an old university. ...

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