Photography: Jonathan Pryke.
15 SEPTEMBER 2026
WILLY RUSSELL’S
EDUCATING RITA
ALEXANDRA MARDELL AS RITA
DOMINIC MAFHAM AS FRANK
DIRECTED BY CARA NOLAN
PLAYING IN CURVE’S STUDIO THEATRE 26 SEPTEMBER – 17 OCTOBER
Press Night – Thursday 1 October 2026, 7pm | Curve, Leicester
Rehearsals are underway for the Made at Curve production of Willy Russell’s drama EDUCATING RITA, running in Curve’s Studio Theatre from Saturday 26 September to Saturday 17 October.
Susan ‘Rita’ White, the bright-eyed twenty something with dreams of making more of her life is played by Alexandra Mardell. Best known for her role as Emma Brooker on ITV’s CORONATION STREET, for which she won the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer in 2019, Mardell is also known for playing Lucinda in BBC’s cult comedy SMOGGIE QUEENS, as well as legal drama WAR (HBO/Sky) and sitcom THE FAMILY PILE (ITV). In 2022, she was crowned winner of STRICTLY COME DANCING’s Christmas special.
Mardell said:
“I am so honoured to have the opportunity to play Rita this autumn. She is iconic, and still so relevant today. A dream role for a Northern actress to play. I’ve already learned so much from Rita and I can’t wait to start rehearsals and begin to explore her character further.”
Dominic Mafham plays opposite Mardell as her self-proclaimed ‘appalling teacher’, Frank. Mafham’s longstanding stage and screen career includes roles in VIGIL (BBC), KILLING EVE (BBC), THE FRAGILE HEART (Channel 4), OUR MUTUAL FRIEND (BBC), JOURNEY’S END (Duke of York’s Theatre, West End and national tour), THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shakespeare’s Globe, US and China tour) and THAT FACE (Orange Tress Theatre).
Mafham said:
“I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Frank. Educating Rita is a very funny but also deeply moving play, and Frank is such a rich and complex character. I’m also really looking forward to working at Curve for the first time and playing in this amazing space with some wonderful people!”
The roles of Rita and Frank are covered by Helena Rimmer and Earl Carpenter respectively.
EDUCATING RITA is directed by Curve’s Associate Director Cara Nolan (WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?), with set and costume designs by Michael Taylor (THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Curve), lighting design by Katy Morison (PUBLIC – THE MUSICAL, Curve) and sound design by Jack Baxter (WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, Curve). Casting is by Richard Johnston for Pippa Ailon and Natalie Gallacher Casting. The Associate Director is Curve Resident Creative Martha Kent, alongside Curve’s Birkbeck Resident Assistant Director Bentleigh Nesbit.
It’s never too late to start again…
Bright-eyed twenty-something Susan ‘Rita’ White dreams of making more of her life. Armed with an interest in literature and unwavering determination she enrols in the Open University, forming an unlikely friendship with disillusioned and dishevelled Frank – her self-proclaimed “appalling teacher”. Through their weekly tutorials, they challenge each other into a life-changing journey of self-discovery.
Hailing from Liverpool, Willy Russell is one of our most celebrated playwrights. With a career spanning over five decades, Russell’s plays and musicals include the epoch defining BLOOD BROTHERS, OUR DAY OUT and SHIRLEY VALENTINE. EDUCATING RITA first premiered in 1980 at the Donmar Warehouse, with Julie Walters in the titular role. The play catapulted Walters to stardom and she went on to reprise the role in the 1983 film adaptation opposite Michael Caine, for which both actors earned respective BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards, alongside Oscar nominations. Russell himself also received BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his screenplay.
The run of EDUCATING RITA at Curve will be accompanied by educational activity including a free digital Learning Pack and a Theatre Day on Thursday 15 October, where audience members of all ages can learn more about the play and the show’s creation.
Accessible performances include Captioned (8 October, 7pm), British Sign Language Interpreted (9 October, 7pm) and Audio Described (17 October, 2pm with a Touch Tour from 12:30pm).
EDUCATING RITA runs at Curve Saturday 26 September to Saturday 17 October 2026. Tickets are on sale now. To find out more, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call the Box Office on 0116 242 3595, or visit in-person.
Curve
60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB
X: @CurveLeicester
Facebook: /CURVEtheatreLeicester
Instagram: @Curve_Leicester
TikTok: @CurveLeicester
YouTube: @curvetheatre
About Curve
Curve is an award-winning producing theatre with a commitment to ensuring as many people as possible can access great art and culture. Each year, over two million people engage with Curve through performances in Leicester, across the UK and internationally. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, Curve has developed an international reputation for producing, presenting and touring a bold and diverse slate of musicals, plays, new work, and dance, which sits alongside a vibrant community and learning programme.
Recent Made at Curve productions and co-productions include: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (World Premiere UK & Ireland tour); BANK OF DAVE THE MUSICAL (World Premiere); KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN; KINKY BOOTS (London Coliseum, European, UK and Ireland tour); INSIDE AMERICAN PIE; LEGALLY BLONDE (UK and Ireland tour); THE SOUND OF MUSIC; ALIENS LOVE PANTA CLAUS; WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF; LOST ATOMS (UK tour); A CHORUS LINE (Sadler’s Wells, UK and Japan tour); MURIEL’S WEDDING; SISTER ACT (Dominion Theatre, Eventim Apollo, UK, Ireland and Australian tours); MY FAIR LADY; PIRATES LOVE UNDERPANTS (UK tour); THE MOUNTAINTOP (UK tour); THE WIZARD OF OZ (London Palladium, UK and Ireland tour); MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (UK tour); THE LION INSIDE (UK tour); COME FROM AWAY (UK tour); GREASE (Dominion Theatre and UK tour); EVITA; THE OWL WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS (UK tour); AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN THE MUSICAL (UK tour); 42ND STREET (Sadler’s Wells, UK tour and Toronto); WHITE CHRISTMAS (Dominion Theatre and UK tour); RIDE; BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL; BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL (UK tour); THE COLOR PURPLE (UK tour); CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (UK tour); METAMORPHOSIS (UK tour); SUNSET BOULEVARD (UK and Ireland tour); THE JUNGLE BOOK (UK and International tour); THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER; GIRAFFES CAN’T DANCE; WEST SIDE STORY; ON YOUR FEET! (London Coliseum and UK tour) and THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13¾ – THE MUSICAL (The Ambassadors Theatre). Streamed productions include THE COLOR PURPLE and SUNSET BOULEVARD.
Curve is supported using public funding by principal funder Arts Council England.
About Alexandra Mardell
Alexandra Mardell is a Northern actress who trained at Guildford School of Acting, she is currently starring as one of the leads in the BAFTA-nominated BBC cult comedy SMOGGIE QUEENS, which has just been recommissioned for a third series. She has also just completed a recurring role in HBO/Sky’s legal drama WAR, appearing opposite Dominic West, and can be seen as a series regular in the family sitcom FAMILY PILE.
Alexandra is widely known for her portrayal of Emma Brooker in CORONATION STREET, a role that earned her the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer, as well as nominations for Best Newcomer and Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards.
Additional credits include ITV’s VERA, and the STRICTLY COME DANCING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, which she won in 2022. Alexandra will play the lead role in the Leicester Curve production of EDUCATING RITA, her first stage role since the 2018 Jermyn Street Theatre production of MAD AS HELL.
About Dominic Mafham
Dominic has just been announced in the new series of BBC hit LINE OF DUTY and will soon be seen in series 3 of VIGIL (BBC) as MI5 chief Sir Ian Downing, after appearing in series 2.
Recently Dominic has appeared in JACK RYAN: GHOST WAR, STEAL (Both Amazon), THE MARLOW MURDER CLUB (ITV), RIOT WOMEN (BBC), LITTLE DISASTERS (Roughcut/Amazon) and the feature TRUTH AND TREASON (Kaleidoscope Films).
Dominic’s many other credits include: INDUSTRY (BBC), the feature film GOLDA (Bleeker Street), ITVX series YOU AND ME and KILLING EVE (BBC).
He also has an extensive list of stage credits including THAT FACE (Orange Tree Theatre), KING LEAR (Chichester and West End), MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shakespeare’s Globe and World Tour), LINDA (Royal Court) and much more.