Details

A series of monologues, funny and poignant, normally from two to four of these would be performed at a time. A Cream Cracker Under The Settee tells of an old woman who has a fall, but her pride doesn't allow her to accept help. Bed Among the Lentils tells of a woman with a drink problem, married to a vicar who exploits her recovery actually caused by an affair with an Indian shopkeeper. A Lady of Letters is the story of a woman obsessed with writing letters of complaint and reporting her neighbours who eventually finds comfort in prison. Soldiering On is the tale of a well-to-do woman who finds one day that she's a widow and her husband has left her ill equipped to handle her own affairs - and her son loses her money in bad investments. Her Big Chance - Meet Lesley, an actress; she was Woman in a Musquash Coat in Crossroads and Chloe in Tess (no Chloe wasn't in the book). She has just completed a video ("targeted chiefly on West Germany") in which she plays Travis, a career girl who enjoys life and spends a remarkable amount of time topless. A Chip in the Sugar - Graham finds life difficult enough at the best of times; when Mother meets an old flame and seems set to marry him Graham's old insecurities (Will he be parted from her? Is there someone watching the house?) rear their ugly heads again. Fate, eventually, rescues Graham and he resumes his normal life of banal muddle under his Mother's amnesiac tyranny. Bed Among the Lentils - Susan is a failure when it comes to jam-making and flower-arranging and isn't at all sure about God. unfortunately for her she is married to Geoffrey, a popular and respected vicar who treats her in an intensely patronising manner and expects her to conform to her role as vicar's wife at all times. Susan finds temporary solace through alcohol and an affair with a young Indian shopkeeper.

Cast/Performers

Sara Stockbridge, Larry Dann, Lynn Farleigh

Creatives/Company

Author: Alan Bennett
Director: Paul Jerricho
Design: Vikie le Sache
Lighting: Roger Frith
Music: Anders Sodergren