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TALKING HEADS
Churchill Productions
The Village Halls
Tarrant Keynston and Spetisbury
May/June 2003

ALAN Bennett wrote these monologues for television and, although they translate well enough to the stage, there is still that one vital necessity – the ability of the performer to create all the other characters and situations in the minds of the audience. That Churchill Productions accomplished this so brilliantly is a tribute to the excellent combined talents of director Beryl Snadden and performers Jan Wyld and Ann Young.
In the bitter-sweet Bed Among The Lentils, Jan Wyld was Susan, a nervous vicar’s wife with a fondness for drink. Her sad life was portrayed in painstaking detail and I could almost see characters like Mrs Belcher, Mrs Shrubsole and Miss Frobisher arguing about the best way to deal with Susan’s communion wine-fuelled fall, and shop owner Mr Ramesh in his long white shirt – “all spotless, like Jesus”.
A Cream Cracker Under The Settee finds seventy-something widow Doris almost immobile after having had a fall at home. Ann Young made every moment of this piece desperately moving as she vocalised Doris’ memories and fears of losing her independence.
This superb evening was also enhanced by a short interlude of songs from Filigree – guitarist Wendy Partridge and soprano Ann-Marie Williams.

Linda Kirkman
Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo.
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