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The Complete Talking Heads: The Classic BBC Radio 4 Monologues Plus A Woman of No Importance
The complete audio collection of Alan Bennett's celebrated monologues, published together for the first time and performed by some of Britain's best actors.
The Talking Heads monologues are widely regarded as one of Alan Bennett's finest dramatic achievements. First broadcast on BBC TV and BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s and 1990s, they won a host of awards and huge popular acclaim and remain among his most admired works today.
This collection includes all twelve Talking Heads, plus the precursor of that series, 'A Woman of No Importance'.
Beautifully crafted and full of compassion and wry observation, each tale is ripe with the quirky, insightful detail that has become Bennett's trademark. The monologues 'A Woman of No Importance' (Patricia Routledge); 'A Chip in the Sugar' (Alan Bennett); 'A Lady of Letters' (Patricia Routledge); 'Bed Among the Lentils' (Anna Massey); 'Soldiering On' (Stephanie Cole); 'Her Big Chance' (Julie Walters); 'A Cream Cracker Under the Settee' (ThoraHird); 'Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet' (Patricia Routledge); 'The Hand of God' (Eileen Atkins); 'Playing Sandwiches' (David Haig); 'The Outside Dog' (Julie Walters); 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain' (Penelope Wilton) and 'Waiting for the Telegram' (Thora Hird).
Intensely moving, deeply engrossing and highly entertaining, these spellbinding soliloquies are essential listening.
The Talking Heads monologues are widely regarded as one of Alan Bennett's finest dramatic achievements. First broadcast on BBC TV and BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s and 1990s, they won a host of awards and huge popular acclaim and remain among his most admired works today.
This collection includes all twelve Talking Heads, plus the precursor of that series, 'A Woman of No Importance'.
Beautifully crafted and full of compassion and wry observation, each tale is ripe with the quirky, insightful detail that has become Bennett's trademark. The monologues 'A Woman of No Importance' (Patricia Routledge); 'A Chip in the Sugar' (Alan Bennett); 'A Lady of Letters' (Patricia Routledge); 'Bed Among the Lentils' (Anna Massey); 'Soldiering On' (Stephanie Cole); 'Her Big Chance' (Julie Walters); 'A Cream Cracker Under the Settee' (ThoraHird); 'Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet' (Patricia Routledge); 'The Hand of God' (Eileen Atkins); 'Playing Sandwiches' (David Haig); 'The Outside Dog' (Julie Walters); 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain' (Penelope Wilton) and 'Waiting for the Telegram' (Thora Hird).
Intensely moving, deeply engrossing and highly entertaining, these spellbinding soliloquies are essential listening.
8 pages, Audiobook
Published October 1, 2015
About the author
Alan Bennett
310 books1,158 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Alan Bennett is an English author and Tony Award-winning playwright. Bennett's first stage play, Forty Years On, was produced in 1968. Many television, stage and radio plays followed, along with screenplays, short stories, novellas, a large body of non-fictional prose and broadcasting, and many appearances as an actor. Bennett's lugubrious yet expressive voice (which still bears a slight Leeds accent) and the sharp humour and evident humanity of his writing have made his readings of his own work (especially his autobiographical writing) very popular. His readings of the Winnie the Pooh stories are also widely enjoyed.
Alan Bennett is an English author and Tony Award-winning playwright. Bennett's first stage play, Forty Years On, was produced in 1968. Many television, stage and radio plays followed, along with screenplays, short stories, novellas, a large body of non-fictional prose and broadcasting, and many appearances as an actor. Bennett's lugubrious yet expressive voice (which still bears a slight Leeds accent) and the sharp humour and evident humanity of his writing have made his readings of his own work (especially his autobiographical writing) very popular. His readings of the Winnie the Pooh stories are also widely enjoyed.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
June 2, 2026
I used to read Alan Bennett quite a lot when in high school but haven't touched them for a number of years. Was jubilant when I discovered the local library had loads of his plays on audio.
This was an excellent selection. I could picture some of them in my head as I listened to them (from the original adaptations shown on TV).
Surprisingly, a lot of these threw me in to quite the meloncholia. The first play particularly, A Woman of No Importance had me crying. So my warning for anyone wanting to listen to these: possibly do so after mentally preparing yourself.
This was an excellent selection. I could picture some of them in my head as I listened to them (from the original adaptations shown on TV).
Surprisingly, a lot of these threw me in to quite the meloncholia. The first play particularly, A Woman of No Importance had me crying. So my warning for anyone wanting to listen to these: possibly do so after mentally preparing yourself.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review