Rita, Sue and Bob Too at Octagon Theatre

Andrew Anderson

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Rita, Sue and Bob Too

Octagon Theatre, Bolton
6-23 September 2017

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Out of Joint / Octagon Theatre Bolton
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There’s no getting around it: Rita, Sue and Bob Too is pretty bleak; a husband starts an affair with two teenagers who are babysitting his kids. He lives in a smart part of town, they live on a council estate.

In the world of Operation Yewtree this sounds like the story of a predator, but in Rita, Sue and Bob Too the girls are the ones with the power. Young and confident, Rita and Sue are not ready to be penned in by society’s taboos. Instead, they want to escape and find a better, more interesting life for themselves. However, there are consequences.

The reason that Rita, Sue and Bob Too is such a strong story is because it was written by an insider. Playwright Andrea Dunbar grew up on a council estate in Bradford, and had witnessed and lived similar stories herself. The result is a work that feels very real – almost painfully so in places.

This was especially the case for audiences in Yorkshire, many of whom were offended by the film version (released in 1987). Dunbar, though, was adamant that this was not a mockery, but an honest portrayal of life on a council estate in Thatcher’s Britain – a place where hope was something you only saw on TV.

Produced by Royal Court Theatre, Rita, Sue and Bob Too is a modern classic that has as much to say today as it did thirty years ago.

Where to go near Rita, Sue and Bob Too at Octagon Theatre

Bolton Library Theatre
Bolton
Library
Bolton Library Theatre

Bolton Library Theatre is situated inside Bolton Museum, a public museum and art gallery, which is owned by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council.

Bolton
Event venue
Albert Halls Bolton

A colonnaded neoclassical Victorian town hall, now hosting comedy, dance, music and pantomime shows, right in the heart of Bolton.

Bolton
Theatre
The Victoria Hall

The Victoria Hall in Bolton is a beautiful entertainment venue which showcases theatre amongst much other live-entertainment.

Atherton
Restaurant
The Snug

The Snug is a grassroots live music venue in Atherton, serving fresh coffee, craft ale and a smart range of vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Manchester
Restaurant
Listo Burrito

Listo Burrito on Manchester’s Oxford Street tempts busy diners with fresh ingredients and a modestly priced menu.

Hop and Hazlewood
Tyldesley
Bar or Pub
Hop and Hazlewood

Hop and Hazlewood is a craft beer and gin joint in the heart of Tyldesley, a short trip out of Manchester.

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