In November of last year I saw Andrea Dunbar’s Shirley performed at Halifax’s Square Chapel so when a tour of Rita, Sue and Bob Too was announced, following a run at the Royal Court, I knew I had to see it.
The play is a hilarious story, but it’s tragic too. The potential of Rita, the dreamer of the two girls, is lost when she falls pregnant at 15, trapped into the sort of life she dreamt of escaping. This production was funny, really uncomfortable at times, brilliant.
Dunbar is a rarity. A working class woman, writing about her own life, in the 80s. Her stories are raw and still retain their potency. Alas, she was not the start of a trend, and theatre still really lacks working class voices. I was very glad to get to see these two plays, to learn a bit about Dunbar from the conversations they have created, and to find a little more confidence in my own voice as a storyteller.