Sea Point’s Jaime stars in stage comedy

Sea Point resident, Jaime Uranovsky who plays the role of Rita in Educating Rita with Nick Plummer who plays the role of Frank.

Stage comedy fans would know the British 1983 comedy film titled Educating Rita by Willy Russell.

The show is currently on at the at The Masque Theatre in Muizenberg and at the centre of it, is a Sea Point resident, Jaime Uranovsky.

Ms Uranovsky plays the character of Rita, whom she describes as a feisty, brave and courageous young woman who doesn’t have a proper education and she’s decided to go back to school and get one.

Rita comes from a lower socio-economic class and she wants to do something about it despite the fact that everyone around her is not interested in that.

She’s a hairdresser whose husband wants her to have a baby and she’s not ready.

She secretly continues to take the pill.

“I’m a feminist and I loved playing this role because she decides to do something that is right for herself and puts her own needs before what is expected of her,” Ms Uranovsky said.

Touching on the ills of society and all that is expected from women, Ms Uranovsky said education will play a key role in changing society for the better.

“Women telling women about feminism is like preaching to a choir. What we need right now is for men to come to the table and hold each other accountable; we have to make a conscious effort to educate the kids so that when they grow up they understand consent, equal opportunities and understand that feminism is not about hating men,” she said.

Ms Uranovsy said she’s learnt a lot from playing her character. She said she’s not the most courageous person in the world but she learnt to be more brave and courageous from Rita.

“She takes the bull by the horns and walks into a university and takes a course and demands to be taken seriously and I truly want to be that courageous,” she said.

She said she liked Rita because she’s genuine, she is herself and doesn’t pretend to be something else and that’s why the audience loves her so much.

One thing that the audience will enjoy in the show is that there are funny moments, and there are touching moments that can be heartbreaking.

“The audience will be inspired by a woman who has decided to change her own destiny. It’s relatable because it has to do with class differences of today and how one person decides, even though it’s not easy, to take the matter into her own hands and stands her ground,” she said.

Ms Uranovsky said she’s been passionate about theatre since she was 6 years old.

Although she never went to study drama, she started performing plays with Cape Town community theatre at a young age.

She’s currently studying law at the University of Cape Town and hoping that one day, she will be able to pursue her dream.

The show is directed by Lynn Moss for the Claremont Dramatic Society and runs at The Masque Theatre in Muizenberg until Saturday February 23.