Talking Heads: No. 1 (BBC Radio Collection) -

I am a fan of talking books, and I would describe many of the ones that I have heard as good, entertaining, thought provoking even. But this collection of stories stands so far above everything else that I have listened to that I can't see them ever being eclipsed. They are that very rare thing in literature - something that is brilliant, complex, moving - but absolutely not worthy, or 'difficult'. How many of us have struggled through a Booker prize winner because we 'ought to', when really it was too much like hard work? These stories are just so entertaining. You very quickly forget that they are monologues because the scenes and other characters are so real that you can see and hear them as if you were watching a full-cast production. You will be able to come back to them again and again because they are so rich with detail, and so beautifully written, and spoken, that they will always be fresh. If you are considering whether or not to buy these, then consider no longer. This is a cast iron guaruntee that tou will love them - and I don't say that very often, if at all.

Try this, and be surprised (11/11 people found this helpful)

Some twenty years ago, mr. van Broekhoven, who taught us english, told us one day to be sure and watch a television programme called "Talking Heads" which would be shown on the BBC that same evening.
I loved it, right from the start. I was spellbound by the quality of the acting and by the words, especially by Alan Bennett's ability to put the right words in a character's mouth. He fashioned these truly moving stories out of little else but the dreary everyday life of ordinary people.
"Talking Heads" started me off on Alan Bennett and I've read a lot of his other work since, which I've also enjoyed very much.
Bennett writes with elegance, understatement and with uncanny empathy. He succeeds in really making these people come to life. One can't help but be moved by what these people tell us and you end up sympathising with them, pitying them, hoping they'll be alright, hoping it'll all work out for them. You end up sympathising with nasty small-minded people like Miss Ruddick, who is a poisoned pen-letter writer, with sad people like Graham, a man in his forties who lives with his mum, with a gullible, naïve half-wit like Lesley: a bit-part actress or "extra" who unwittingly, but unrelentingly cheerful and chirpy, ends up doing a cheap German nookie film, you even end up sympathising, awkward though it is, with a pedophile.
Yet there are no tricks, no ploys being used to achieve this, to draw upon emotions. It's just ordinary people telling their stories, revealing much about themselves, even those thing they would not want to reveal to a stranger. Reading this reminded me of a familiar experience: one feels as if being on a train, or in a waiting room. There is only one other person there and this person starts talking to you. You nod and smile politely, listen with half an ear, try and hide behind a paper or a book, but they just keep on talking, not even expecting a reply, just being glad of the chance to talk.

The form and the words are brilliantly chosen. There is so much in the little, throwaway remarks, in the seemingly unimportant. Much sadness, and loss and so much loneliness, sand painful self-awareness (or the absence thereof), much comedy, too, although these 13 people do not mean to tell a funny story. What they do, in fact, is to tell us the story of their lives (even if they do not really mean to) in little more than 30 minutes. Unwittingly they open cupboards and one or more skeletons fall out, as happens in all our lives.
Also, each of these stories has one or more wicked twists, which work marvellously: your perception of the story and of the person telling it is suddenly being tilted as the story sort of hits a bump. And after it's been given this jolt, nothing is quite the same.

I'll bugger off now but not after making 3 appeals:
1. Do not be put off by the fact that these are monologues, do not be put off by the fact that it's all about very ordinary people and do not be put off by the fact that all kinds of people about whose judgment is suspect (like teachers, critics, or indeed amazon-book reviewers) keep on telling you this is Literature, and great stuff. Just give this book a try. You will be amazed by the quality, the sensitivity and the common sense of the writing. You will probably end up as I did: recommending it to others.
2. Mr. Bennett: I know it's a bore being asked this, but could you find it in your heart to write some more of these wonderful monologues, to celebrate 20 years of "talking heads"?
3. BBC: bring them back!! Show them again, all thirteen of them, and do so every year, please.

Second chances are a good thing... (4/5 people found this helpful)

I too had to study the Bennett monologues at `A' level, and found it hard work - in fact, I came out of the whole ordeal with a great disliking for Bennetts work. However, I recently found myself with some time to spare and so I decided I'd perhaps give the monologues a second chance. I'm glad I did. Second time around I found the tales of each of the characters to be highly enjoyable. The characters were extremely well drawn and likable - be it the naive actress Lesley in `Her Big Chance' comparing the differences of a German director of an adult film to Polanski, or the rather sad character of Graham, dependent on his mother and horrified when she starts to have a life without him. Personally, I liked the story told by Miss Ruddock, that of someone obviously in need of attention and trying so hard to get it.

Bennett has captured perfectly the nature and personality of the simple characters in each of his stories and manages to recount each tale in both a humorous and touching way. The stories leave you caring for each of the main figures, each broken in some way and most of them blind to the fact.

Once again, I can only say how glad I am to have revisited this work and offer my apologies to the author for missing the point in the first place!

review of talking heads (4/83 people found this helpful)

Having to study Alan Bennet's talking heads for A-level, I can honestly say that it was an arduous task. It was near on impossible to write one thousand words on this travesty, as there is just no substance to his work. Bennet presents us with six characters. The format is the same with each, (except possibly Celia and Violet), there's some bizzare macabre secret that comes to be revealed, Wilfred is a peadophile, Marjory's Husband is a murderer etc. Wow, big deal. Bennet plays with appearance and deception. *STOP THE PRESSES!* I have grown up exposed to ardent praise of Bennet from my parents, who were born some time after the war. When I lived at home, Bennet truly was a sanctimonious icon of british drama, and regarded as a genius of his day. Maybe I'm young and just 'unaware', but I really can't see what all the fuss is about, and I really can't see Bennet's 'genius'. He achieves nothing new here, and Im just glad my A-levels are over. Avoid this at all costs.

Observational Genius! (18/19 people found this helpful)

Breathtaking is a word so often used to describe an offering from any artist, but this truly is. From simply observing the different and sometimes darkest side of human nature you find yourself completely engrosed and almost personally attatched to each charachter. His ability to exploit humor, and then drift into sadness and frustration without even seeming to step aside is superb. Within afew lines, even as early as the preliminary "setting", the personal effect his writing has takes you instantly into the situation and leaves you unable to exit until the sometimes bitter,sometimes hilarous, but always intriguing end. Each charachter seems genuinely real, the ordinary lives turning out as anything but. Of all this writers brilliant work this is unboubtedly the best (although "The Lady In The Van" is also worth a look, as is "Telling tales"...)to name but afew.
Amust for any fan of literature.

Talking Heads: No. 1 (BBC Radio Collection)

Editorial Review:

Reader Reviews:

Genius (1/1 people found this helpful)

Try this, and be surprised (11/11 people found this helpful)

Second chances are a good thing... (4/5 people found this helpful)

review of talking heads (4/83 people found this helpful)

Observational Genius! (18/19 people found this helpful)

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