Welcome to the International Players!
Talking Heads
A Cream Cracker Under the Settee
&
A Lady of Letters
by Alan Bennett
Friday, May 11, 2012 at 20h15
Salle Jacques Tati
12 bis rue Danès de Montardat
78100 St. Germain en Laye
Tickets 10 €
Information & Reservations:
On line: tickets
Tel: 06 37 46 05 25
This amateur performance by kind permission of Samuel French Ltd.
Regarded with great affection by the British public, Alan Bennett or "Alan Bennett, National Treasure," as he has come to be labelled, was born in Leeds in 1934. He began his stage and writing career with the satirical revue "Beyond the Fringe", and his prolific output includes "The Madness of King George", "The History Boys", "The Lady in the Van", "Habeas Corpus" and "Talking Heads".
"Talking Heads" consists of two series of monologues originally filmed for BBC Television and broadcast in 1988 and 1998. They featured Alan Bennett himself and Julie Walters, Maggie Smith, Patricia Routledge and Thora Hird as different characters in both series.
Now widely regarded as a modern classic, the series has been included on the A-level and GCSE English literature syllabus. "Talking Heads" has been translated into French – "Moulins à Paroles" and was performed in 1993 at the Théâtre de la Villette and again in 2009 at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, Paris.
Each monologue explores, probes and unsparingly lays bare the frailties of its narrator. Each character unwittingly reveals not simply the story of what has happened to them but more importantly reveals their inner self. Alan Bennett's genius is to be able to thread together comedy and tragedy almost in the same breath and mix sharp observation with benevolent compassion.
A Cream Cracker Under the Settee
Doris is 75, has a pacemaker and is subject to dizzy spells. The housework is now left to her home help, and dusting and cleaning is now "out of bounds". Despite the threat of being sent to an old people's home Doris can't resist the urge – she dusts – she falls and she's on her own…
A Lady of Letters
Irene Ruddock writes letters to her MP, her chemist, the neighbours, the police, to the Queen – in fact to everyone she can, in order to remedy the social ills and misconduct she sees around her. Irene writes one letter too many and it changes her life.
Note: There will only be one performance so we advise you to reserve your places now tickets.
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