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
Willy Linthout with Luc Cromheecke the series "Roboboy". In 2007, after the suicide of his son, he wrote and drew the graphic novel "Jaren van de Olifant" ("Years of the Elephant"), which was nominated for a number of international awards and won the Bronzen Adhemar, the most important Flemish comics award. Willy Linthout Willy Linthout (born 1 May 1953) is a Belgian comics author, best known for the "Urbanus" comics and his graphic novel "Years of the Elephant". Willy Linthout is born in Eksaarde near Lokeren, Belgium in 1953. He was a comics collector when he met Flemish comedian Urbanus. They decided