Curve Leicester casts Educating Rita revival with Alexandra Mardell and Dominic Mafham

Curve theatre in Leicester has confirmed the cast for its autumn revival of Willy Russell's Educating Rita, with Alexandra Mardell taking the title role and Dominic Mafham playing Frank. The production runs from 26 September to 17 October in Curve's Studio Theatre. WhatsOnStage

Cara Nolan, an associate director at Curve, will direct. Her previous credits include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Pride & Prejudice. The creative team is completed by set and costume designer Michael Taylor, lighting designer Katy Morison and sound designer Jack Baxter.

Mardell is known to television audiences from Coronation Street and Smoggie Queens. Mafham's screen credits include Vigil and Killing Eve. Helena Rimmer and Earl Carpenter will cover the two roles. Casting is by Richard Johnston for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting. WhatsOnStage

Russell's play, first staged in 1980, follows Rita, a bright-eyed twenty-something hairdresser who signs up for an Open University literature course, and Frank, the disillusioned university lecturer assigned to tutor her. The play won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, as Curve notes on its own website. Curve

The revival is a Made at Curve production, meaning it is created and built in-house at the Leicester venue rather than arriving as a touring show. It will play exclusively at Curve this autumn, with no transfer announced.

Accessibility is built into the schedule. Captioned performance is on 8 October, a BSL-interpreted performance follows on 9 October, and an audio-described performance closes the run on 17 October. WhatsOnStage

For audiences who know the play only from the 1983 film with Julie Walters and Michael Caine, the Studio Theatre offers a more intimate setting. The two-hander format rewards a smaller room. Nolan's previous work at Curve on Pride & Prejudice drew praise for its pace and clarity, and a text as talkative as Russell's benefits from both.