TALKING HEADS (iPlayer)*****

 

By Tommy

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p08ftkkx/alan-bennetts-talking-heads

Available until: June 2021

Talking Heads is a fascinating collection of monologues written by Alan Bennett. They first came into being as two television series, one in 1988 and one in 1998, each with six episodes. Six of these monologues additionally formed the basis of a play, also written by Alan Bennett, which was first performed in 2003.

When the UK went into lockdown, many television producers were left wondering how they could fill television slots without either endangering the actors or frustrating viewers with constant repeats. One answer which presented itself was a new series of Talking Heads, using the same monologues but featuring different actors. As only one actor appears in each monologue, there was no difficulty with the awkwardness of characters’ needing to be at least a metre apart, and the crew were also able to remain socially distant. Ten of the original episodes were filmed, in addition to two new ones, which were written by Alan Bennett in 2019, little knowing the circumstances which would lead to their premiere.

The monologues are 25-40 minutes long and tell some very different stories. Although most of the monologues are written for women of a similar age, they find themselves in some very different situations and there is no feeling of repetitiveness in the stories, each describing a unique and interesting situation. All the actors are exceptional and very well-chosen, despite the limiting circumstances in which the roles were cast.

Some of the content of the stories is very disturbing and I do urge everyone to read the warnings before watching each monologue. The monologues encourage us to open our minds and the writing and acting are both of such an exceptional standard, I found I was able to sympathise with some characters even when I did not in any way condone their behaviour. However, they will nevertheless be extremely challenging for some people to watch and I wouldn’t want anyone to experience any distress because of a recommendation from this blog (in the unlikely event that anyone is interested in my recommendations).

Fans of Killing Eve might be particularly interested in watching Jodie Comer playing the role of a naïve young actor, hoping her next role will be the one that advances her career to the heights of which she dreams. Those who enjoyed Tamsin Greig’s performance in the National Theatre’s Twelfth Night have the opportunity to see her play a lonely woman who forms a deep, satisfying and surprising friendship. If you are more of a Sherlock persuasion, Martin Freeman, one of just two men to record a monologue, plays a man who is rather thrown by an announcement from his mother. The other actors taking part include Kristin Scott-Thomas, Harriet Walter and Sarah Lancashire.

The two monologues which haven’t been included in this collection were written for actors of over seventy and it was not permitted for the older generations to play any part in the TV series. I applaud the decision not to give the role to younger actors in large quantities of make-up, but I very much hope that the missing monologues will be filmed once it is safe to do so as both are excellent and there are many talented performers in this age group.

In the meantime, there are still twelve intriguing monologues available on iPlayer from some of the very best performers on television and stage.

 

 

 

The two monologues which were left out were written for actors of over seventy and it was not permitted for the older generations to play any part in the TV series. I very much hope that they will be filmed as soon as it is safe to do so as both are excellent and there are many talented performers of seventy and above. However, in the meantime, there are still twelve fascinating monologues available on iPlayer from some of the very best performers on television and stage.