Educating Rita reprised her radio and Menier Chocolate Factory performance as Rita, and Frank was played by renowned actor Tim Pigott-Smith. Like the Willy Russell season at the Menier Chocolate Factory, the production ran in repertory alongside "Shirley Valentine" starring Meera Syal. A UK tour played in 2012, starring Claire Sweeney and Matthew Kelly as Rita and Frank respectively. A 35th anniversary production was staged at Liverpool Playhouse from 6 February to 7 March 2015, starring Leanne Best as Rita and Con O'Neill as Frank, directed by Gemma Bodinetz. The same year the Chichester Festival staged a production with Lenny Henry and
Simon Bamford has also designed and directed several international tours including "The Big Day" in Sofia, Qatar and Dubai as well as "Educating Rita" in Kuala Lumpur. In 2004 he took a production of "Shirley Valentine" to Karachi to help raise money for a new school. He has been a theatre reviewer for "The Stage" newspaper since 2006 and is guest speaker at film conventions in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Bottrop, Münster, Orlando, Boston, London and New York. Simon Bamford Simon Bamford (born 22 May 1961 in Bedford) is an English film, television and stage actor. He is well known for playing the