Talking Heads is a collection of monologues (plays consisting of one character speaking) that is easy to read, humorous and the characters are so endearing.
Bennett has a way of making sympathetic features of a character into something hilarious. There was Maggie the vicar's wife who kept ... Read review
Alan Bennett sealed his reputation as the master of observation with this series of 12 ... more
monologues, originally filmed for BBC Television. "Talking Heads" is regarded as a modern classic. This edition, which contains the collection of "Talking Heads", as well as his earlier monologue, "A Woman of No Importance", is a celebration of his work.
Alan Bennett's Talking Heads was a major artistic breakthrough in the field of drama when ... more
the first series of monologues aired in 1987. Each tale gives us privileged access to the innermost thoughts of an individual who although we only hear his/her side of the story frequently reveals more about him/herself than intended. Often poignant sometimes sad and occasionally uplifting Bennett's gift for writing comedy is always apparent - and always inspired.
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Alan Bennett's award-winning series of six television monologues, Talking Heads, may ... more
have been first aired in 1988, but over a decade later it is still impossible to read these deeply moving and affectionate scripts without hearing the voices of the actors who played them. Maggie Smith as the alcoholic vicar's wife finding a semblance of happiness in an affair with an Indian shop owner, Patricia Routledge as the poisonous neighbour, Julie Walters as the over-the-hill dolly bird auditioning for a porn film and of course Thora Hird as Doris, the old lady alone in her home having fallen and broken her hip. All great performances and all made possible by Bennett's wonderfully observant and poignant scripts. Bennett rightly notes in his introduction to the pieces that, maybe apart from Doris, his narrators are artless in that they "don't quite know what they are saying and are telling a story to the meaning of which they are not entirely privy". But through their artlessnes they reveal more about Britain today and the stresses and strains placed upon ordinary people, than any number of docu-soaps that now claim to show us real life. --Nick Wroe
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Alan Bennett's award-winning series of six television monologues, Talking Heads, may ... more
have been first aired in 1988, but over a decade later it is still impossible to read these deeply moving and affectionate scripts without hearing the voices of the actors who played them. Maggie Smith as the alcoholic vicar's wife finding a semblance of happiness in an affair with an Indian shop owner, Patricia Routledge as the poisonous neighbour, Julie Walters as the over-the-hill dolly bird auditioning for a porn film and of course Thora Hird as Doris, the old lady alone in her home having fallen and broken her hip. All great performances and all made possible by Bennett's wonderfully observant and poignant scripts. Bennett rightly notes in his introduction to the pieces that, maybe apart from Doris, his narrators are artless in that they "don't quite know what they are saying and are telling a story to the meaning of which they are not entirely privy". But through their artlessnes they reveal more about Britain today and the stresses and strains placed upon ordinary people, than any number of docu-soaps that now claim to show us real life. --Nick Wroe
Postage & Packaging:£2.75 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Alan Bennett's two series of moving and affectionate monologues delivered by the cream of ... more
British acting talent have become television drama classics. These poignant, perceptive and comic stories venture beyond their characters' suburban normality into lives of secrets, revelations, fears, crimes and passions.Series One1. A Chip in the Sugar - Alan Bennett2. A Lady of Letters - Patricia Routledge3. Bed Among the Lentils - Maggie Smith4. Soldering On - Stephanie Cole5. Her Big Chance - Julie Waters6. A Cream Cracker Under the Settee - Thora HirdSeries Two7. Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet - Patricia Routledge8. The Hand of God - Eileen Atkins9. Playing Sandwiches - David Haig10. The Outside Dog - Julie Waters11. Nights in the Gardens of Spain - Penelope Wilton12. Waiting for the Telegram - Thora HirdPlus Telling Tales.
Advantages: Work of art, I personally liked it more on paper. Disadvantages: If you are more of a TV person then watch the series, it is equally as good as the paper version.
Talking Heads is a collection of monologues (plays consisting of one character speaking) that is easy to read, humorous and the characters are so endearing.
Bennett has a way of making sympathetic features of a character into something hilarious. There was Maggie the vicar's wife who kept drinking all the Holy Communion wine from the cupboard, and then went on to having an affair with the shop owner. There's another one with this woman ... ...quite repetitive, which was improved when read aloud. Some people prefer Talking Heads on screen than on paper, but I prefer it on paper because then I can get behind the character themselves. The TV series are very good too and the characters are beautifully acted out.
... more
Talking Heads is a collection of monologues (plays consisting of one character speaking) that is easy to read, humorous and the characters are so endearing.
Bennett has a way of making sympathetic features of a character into something hilarious. There was Maggie the vicar's wife who kept drinking all the Holy Communion wine from the cupboard, and then went on to having an affair with the shop owner. There's another one with this woman who had a habit of writing complaint letters about everything and sending them to the authorities. She ended up in jail and learnt her first swear words: she told a girl to 'f*ck up' ('up' as opposed to 'off'). It's the way the characters narrate the reader through a certain incident that really warms us to them.
The use of 'I said, he said, she said' became quite repetitive, which was improved when read aloud. Some people prefer Talking Heads on screen than on paper, but I prefer it on paper because then I can get behind the character themselves. The TV series are very good too and the characters are beautifully acted out.
Advantages: Easy to read - better than the TV series. Disadvantages: None
This is much more accessible than one would imagine. It is a breeze to read and it's amazing how quickly one gets to the end of each chapter. I deliberately slowed my reading pace in order to prolong the enjoyment. If you've already seen the TV series, this is still a treat. Bennett proves that he can write from the mouths and hearts of people from all walks of life in these surprisingly witty, fun and tragic monologues. One minute you will find ... ...you will be crying. Through the twists and turns of the monologues Bennett reveals much more about the characters' real thoughts and backgrounds - much more than one could imagine those characters actually wishing the reader to know about them. Bennett's words in the mouths of the speakers also allow the reader to understand how third parties really see the speakers, however much those speakers are wallowing in self-denial or actively seeking to ...
alfievirgo 01.09.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Talking Heads - Alan Bennett
Advantages: good actors/actresses Disadvantages: not action-packed
Alan Bennet's famous "Talking Heads" monologues, of which there are twelve, really are astonishing. Being monologues, the depth of empathy one can have with the character in question is incredible. They are basically a number of short stories: some about everyday struggle or joy, and others about extraordinary occurrences. In every one, Bennet manages to make the characters sound so convincing that if you closed your eyes, you could almost become ... ...make up the lives of ordinary people, Bennet gives voice to a number of hitherto tabboo areas. He deals with mental illness, paedophilia, murder, adultery and old age in a refreshingly candid, yet sensitive way. Bennet demonstrates, in the best possible way, that everyday people can sometimes have the most remarkable and fascinating stories to tell. ...
comradeward 10.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Talking Heads - Alan Bennett
Advantages: the depth of the character, believable and each unique Disadvantages: None i can think of
Although the characters are finctional,grounded no doubt on Alan's past experience and chance meetings,They are colourful, bright and full of life. Each of the monologues are unique to the next, Bennett creates a world of his own allowing the reader to see through the eyes of his characters and gain an insight into their, more often than not, tragic lives. The alcoholic Vicar's wife, the lady with the dead husband, financially ruined yet continues, ... ...Alan Bennett's part or sheer coincedence, when you read this book, the colouful language, the minute discription, attention to detail.allows this book to touch your heart, allows you to identify with the characters and to become inveloped in the world that Alan Bennett created. A marvellous piece of literature ...
sophie_801 26.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Talking Heads - Alan Bennett
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Advantages: First half is good with a compelling and humorous narrative... Disadvantages: ...which degenerates into a mish-mash of vague and incomplete plots made worse by some incredibly pretentious metaphorical sequences.
In the introduction to this book Jeanette Winterson states that she once made a wish that she be granted, ‘the knack of knowing when to stop’. With respect to ‘Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit’, she should have stopped about halfway through, for at this point the book becomes gradually less humorous and more absorbed by its’ own ‘experimental’ structure.
The book begins quite promisingly as the tale of a family of three dominated by the religious obsessions of the mother. It is told with the kind of detached humour that is very AlanBennett. (Anyone who’s read ‘TalkingHeads’ will make immediate parallels between this and ‘A Bed Among The Lentils’). The petty prejudices of the church are parodied in a fashion that may not be particularly original, but is ...
Advantages: Compulsive reading from start to finish. Disadvantages: Only that 2 pages of the introduction were repeated in a later Bennett collection.
cleaning they?ll pack her off to a home. One day her dusting does land her in serious bother as she takes a tumble. She tries desperately to get herself into a position where she might call for help, but it?s no use ? no-one can hear her. Until, that is, the local policeman calls through the letterbox to check Doris is ok?
?You?ve done it now, Doris?.
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The book identifies and pictures the actors and actresses who performed each monologue on BBC TV. I find with Bennett?s work that I read in character and this is no exception? every piece is read in the voice of the performer (AlanBennett, Maggie Smith, Patricia Routledge, Julie Walters, Stephanie Cole and Thora Hird).
Ten years after this series of TalkingHeads, Bennett released another? TalkingHeads 2, would you believe. Six more monologues ...
Product Information for "Talking Heads - Alan Bennett" »
Product details
Type
Play
Title
Talking Heads
Author
Alan Bennett
ISBN
0563206225; 184607259X
Manufacturer's product description
Alan Bennett sealed his reputation as the master of observation with this series of 12 groundbreaking monologues, originally filmed for BBC Television. At once darkly comic, tragically poignant and wonderfully uplifting, "Talking Heads" is widely regarded as a modern classic. This new edition, which contains the complete collection of "Talking Heads", as well as his earlier monologue, "A Woman of No Importance", is a celebration of Alan Bennett's finest work. See all Product Description
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