A controversial play that became a cult British film of the 80s is being revived at Theatr Clwyd in Mold in February.
Kate Wasserberg’s new production of Andrea Dunbar’s semi-autobiographical play Rita, Sue and Bob Too comes to the Anthony Hopkins Theatre from February 6-10.
Dunbar’s play was written for The Royal Court in London in 1982, when she was just 19, and is a vivid portrait of two young girls hungry for adult adventure but caught between a brutal childhood and an unpromising future.
Best friends Rita and Sue get a lift home from Bob, a married man, after babysitting his kids. When he takes the scenic route and offers them a bit of fun, the three start a fling each of them think they can control.
Told with wicked humour, startling insight and a great ear for dialogue the play was inspired by Dunbar’s own life on Bradford’s Buttershaw estate and was adapted into a popular film directed by Alan Clark, which was restored and re-released last year by the BFI.
Rita is played by Taj Atwal, who was widely acclaimed for her performance in the second series of Kay Mellor’s In The Club on BBC 1.
Her other recent TV work also includes appearing in Paul Abbott’s police procedural drama No Offence on Channel 4. On stage, recent shows include East is East at Trafalgar Studios in the West End and Educating Rita for Hull Truck.
Gemma Dobson makes her professional stage debut as Sue.
Bob is played by James Atherton, who played Wil Savage in Hollyoaks for five years and also starred in Coronation Street. His recent theatre includes shows at Manchester Royal Exchange, Chichester Festival Theatre and Theatre Royal, Haymarket.
Sally Bankes (Mother) has appeared in four productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and worked with Taj Atwell in the West End production of East is East.
Samantha Robinson (Michelle) played Rita in Educating Rita at Colchester Mercury. On TV she starred in Cilla and her other stage appearances include Northern Broadsides, West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Bush and Bristol Old Vic.
David Walker (Father) has appeared in Emmerdale, The Royal and Coronation Street on TV and his most recent stage work includes The Hangman in the West End.
Rita, Sue and Bob Too is directed by Out of Joint’s artistic director Kate Wasserberg who is the founder director of Cardiff’s award-winning The Other Room Theatre.
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Kate trained at the National Theatre and began her career at The Finborough in London, before becoming an associate director at Theatr Clwyd, where she directed a string of highly acclaimed plays including Glengarry Glen Ross, Insignificance and last year’s The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.
Rita Sue and Bob Too can be seen in the Anthony Hopkins Theatre at Theatr Clwyd from February 6-10. Tickets from £10. Call 01352 701521 or visit www.theatrclwyd.com.
