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Talking Heads
Two Besides: A Pair of Talking Heads
***Available for pre-order now***
The gorgeous, pocket-sized edition of the two brand-new Talking Heads
***As seen on BBC1 and iPlayer***
'Given the opportunity to revisit the characters from Talking Heads I've added a couple more, both of them ordinary women whom life takes by surprise. They just about end up on top and go on, but without quite knowing how. Still, they're in good company, and at least they've made it into print.'
Alan Bennett's twelve Talking Heads are acknowledged masterworks by one of our most highly acclaimed writers. Some thirty years after the original six , Bennett has written Two Besides, a pair of monologues. Each, in its way, is a devastating portrait of grief. In An Ordinary Woman, a mother suffers the inevitable consequences when she makes life intolerable for herself and her family by falling for her own flesh and blood; while The Shrine tells the story behind a makeshift roadside shrine, introducing us to Lorna, bearing witness in her high-vis jacket, the bereft partner of a dedicated biker with a surprising private life.
The two new Talking Heads were recorded for the BBC during the exceptional circumstances of coronavirus lockdown in the spring of 2020, directed by Nicholas Hytner and performed by Sarah Lancashire and Monica Dolan.
The book contains a substantial preface by Nicholas Hytner and an introduction to each, by Alan Bennett.
The gorgeous, pocket-sized edition of the two brand-new Talking Heads
***As seen on BBC1 and iPlayer***
'Given the opportunity to revisit the characters from Talking Heads I've added a couple more, both of them ordinary women whom life takes by surprise. They just about end up on top and go on, but without quite knowing how. Still, they're in good company, and at least they've made it into print.'
Alan Bennett's twelve Talking Heads are acknowledged masterworks by one of our most highly acclaimed writers. Some thirty years after the original six , Bennett has written Two Besides, a pair of monologues. Each, in its way, is a devastating portrait of grief. In An Ordinary Woman, a mother suffers the inevitable consequences when she makes life intolerable for herself and her family by falling for her own flesh and blood; while The Shrine tells the story behind a makeshift roadside shrine, introducing us to Lorna, bearing witness in her high-vis jacket, the bereft partner of a dedicated biker with a surprising private life.
The two new Talking Heads were recorded for the BBC during the exceptional circumstances of coronavirus lockdown in the spring of 2020, directed by Nicholas Hytner and performed by Sarah Lancashire and Monica Dolan.
The book contains a substantial preface by Nicholas Hytner and an introduction to each, by Alan Bennett.
- GenresFiction
96 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2020
8 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Alan Bennett
274 books1,116 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 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 9, 2022
Two entertaining monologues, classic to Alan Bennett's style. His writing often seems to be more about what is not said rather than what is said.
May 8, 2021
Alan Bennett's'Two Besides' (published 2020 although apparently written earlier) - comprises two 'new' Talking Heads monologues to go with Bennet's classic collections of the 1980s/90s, written for and so brilliantly filmed by the BBC.
'Two Besides' includes a fascinating introduction by Nicholas Hytner, outlining how the filming of new and refilming of old Talking Heads came about and just as interestingly, how the series of films were made under pandemic lockdown conditions.
The two Bennett monologues included here: 'An Ordinary Woman' and 'The Shrine' are both brilliant and worthy successors to previous Talking Heads.
'An Ordinary Woman' is a disturbing and uncomfortable read, but somehow still imbued with Bennett's trademark humanity and wit.
'The Shrine' really shows us the skill and brilliance of Bennett's writing at its best - in an astonishingly short 13 pages Bennett somehow manages to craft the whole world of Lorna, the significant event and aftermath that befalls her and changes her life.
Bennett at his absolute best.
'Two Besides' includes a fascinating introduction by Nicholas Hytner, outlining how the filming of new and refilming of old Talking Heads came about and just as interestingly, how the series of films were made under pandemic lockdown conditions.
The two Bennett monologues included here: 'An Ordinary Woman' and 'The Shrine' are both brilliant and worthy successors to previous Talking Heads.
'An Ordinary Woman' is a disturbing and uncomfortable read, but somehow still imbued with Bennett's trademark humanity and wit.
'The Shrine' really shows us the skill and brilliance of Bennett's writing at its best - in an astonishingly short 13 pages Bennett somehow manages to craft the whole world of Lorna, the significant event and aftermath that befalls her and changes her life.
Bennett at his absolute best.
January 31, 2022
I loved reading this particularly the detailed information from Nicholas Hytner on how the new Talking Heads was filmed.
I watched these during lockdown along with so many others and it was a real highlight of my day.
I'd studied some of the monologues for A-Level English Lit, so seeing them brought to life was fantastic.
The two new monologues are both excellent, Alan Bennett does dark humour so well.
A short book but a perfect companion to the series.
I watched these during lockdown along with so many others and it was a real highlight of my day.
I'd studied some of the monologues for A-Level English Lit, so seeing them brought to life was fantastic.
The two new monologues are both excellent, Alan Bennett does dark humour so well.
A short book but a perfect companion to the series.
October 17, 2020
I love Alan Bennett and his writing and I just adored these two new Talking Heads. He's a national treasure - and more.
July 10, 2022
Perfectly crafted visions of loss.
September 25, 2020
Two new ‘Talking Heads’.
What an absolute gem of a book. I loved every moment of reading Two Besides. Before I review properly, I would say I think it best to read An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine before reading the introduction by Nicholas Hytner as he refers to them in his piece and it might colour the reading experience.
The introductory Talking Heads – How They Happened by Nicholas Hytner is absolutely fascinating. I still haven’t got round to watching the series produced for the BBC, although I have them recorded, but this introduction has made me desperate to find the time. I was completely absorbed in the production process of a Covid world with everything from casting to sound, make up and music explained clearly and interestingly. There’s a reverence and affection for Alan Bennett’s writing and skill that shines through the pages too which gives a real warmth to the book.
However, excellent introduction aside, it is, of course, Alan Bennett’s utter brilliance as a writer that makes these two new narratives in Two Besides so compelling. His distinctive authorial voice, his ability to look into the very soul of his characters, his sublime use of sentence variety and structure gives an authentic cadence that places the reader in intimate contact with the characters. It is as if they are speaking directly to you, making the reader as much part of the story as they are.
In both An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine we have universal and identifiable themes of love and desire, moral acceptability and abhorrence, a sense of self and otherness that rings with emotion so that whilst characters may behave badly or foolishly, they have our utmost sympathy. Both Gwen and Lorna could so easily be a member of our families, a neighbour or a friend. I read both An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine desperate for Gwen and Lorna to triumph.
In Two Besides Alan Bennett writes with a raw understanding of humanity that is astounding. I think any reader picking up Two Besides and not feeling emotionally affected by its contents must be almost inhuman. I loved this book unreservedly.
What an absolute gem of a book. I loved every moment of reading Two Besides. Before I review properly, I would say I think it best to read An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine before reading the introduction by Nicholas Hytner as he refers to them in his piece and it might colour the reading experience.
The introductory Talking Heads – How They Happened by Nicholas Hytner is absolutely fascinating. I still haven’t got round to watching the series produced for the BBC, although I have them recorded, but this introduction has made me desperate to find the time. I was completely absorbed in the production process of a Covid world with everything from casting to sound, make up and music explained clearly and interestingly. There’s a reverence and affection for Alan Bennett’s writing and skill that shines through the pages too which gives a real warmth to the book.
However, excellent introduction aside, it is, of course, Alan Bennett’s utter brilliance as a writer that makes these two new narratives in Two Besides so compelling. His distinctive authorial voice, his ability to look into the very soul of his characters, his sublime use of sentence variety and structure gives an authentic cadence that places the reader in intimate contact with the characters. It is as if they are speaking directly to you, making the reader as much part of the story as they are.
In both An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine we have universal and identifiable themes of love and desire, moral acceptability and abhorrence, a sense of self and otherness that rings with emotion so that whilst characters may behave badly or foolishly, they have our utmost sympathy. Both Gwen and Lorna could so easily be a member of our families, a neighbour or a friend. I read both An Ordinary Woman and The Shrine desperate for Gwen and Lorna to triumph.
In Two Besides Alan Bennett writes with a raw understanding of humanity that is astounding. I think any reader picking up Two Besides and not feeling emotionally affected by its contents must be almost inhuman. I loved this book unreservedly.
November 19, 2020
A short book just 85 pages, therefore easily read.
The first half written by Nicholas Hynter who was contacted by the Head of BBC Drama on the fourth day of lockdown and asked if he was up to the task of remaking Alan Bennett Talking Heads for the BBC. I must admit this first half was very interesting.
The second half of the book covers two new Talking Heads, An Ordinary Woman in which a woman, Gwen, develops feelings for her son and The shrine the story behind a roadside memorial. The plays are monologue so from one persons viewpoint, I found them both quite sad. I've.never read or seen Alan Bennett works before but I am intrigued to find out more by bbc player and his books.
The first half written by Nicholas Hynter who was contacted by the Head of BBC Drama on the fourth day of lockdown and asked if he was up to the task of remaking Alan Bennett Talking Heads for the BBC. I must admit this first half was very interesting.
The second half of the book covers two new Talking Heads, An Ordinary Woman in which a woman, Gwen, develops feelings for her son and The shrine the story behind a roadside memorial. The plays are monologue so from one persons viewpoint, I found them both quite sad. I've.never read or seen Alan Bennett works before but I am intrigued to find out more by bbc player and his books.
February 12, 2021
I like Alan Bennett. I love his Talking Heads - both times around. This book contains the 'scripts' of two that he added to the latest television presentation. It's fun to read them like this, but it was also interesting to read the introduction and to find out how they managed to put these together in a Covid-secure way. Not easy.
April 1, 2021
“𝐼 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓅𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓋𝒶𝑔𝓊𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓇𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝑜𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶 𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓋𝒾𝓇𝓊𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓁𝓎 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒶 𝒽𝒶𝓁𝓉. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒽𝑜𝓅𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝓊𝓎𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓇𝓉 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒷𝓎 𝒜𝓁𝒶𝓃 𝐵𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑒𝓉𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒷𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒿𝑜𝒾𝓃𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓇 𝓃𝑒𝓍𝓉 𝒹𝑜𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝑜𝑔𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓌𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓉𝓇𝑒.
.
I’m not behind on my reading goals (for once) but instead my instagram and goodreads posts 😅 This I read way back in January, but it’s only a short read (almost too short it feels like cheating) intended to accompany BBC’s production of Alan Bennett’s “Talking Heads”. The greater part of the book was on how such a production was pulled together in a pandemic. I can only ever associate Alan Bennett with northerness and his work, to me is full of West Yorkshire landmarks. So I was shocked to hear that the monologues were all filmed in rooms from the Eastenders set 😂
.
I’m not behind on my reading goals (for once) but instead my instagram and goodreads posts 😅 This I read way back in January, but it’s only a short read (almost too short it feels like cheating) intended to accompany BBC’s production of Alan Bennett’s “Talking Heads”. The greater part of the book was on how such a production was pulled together in a pandemic. I can only ever associate Alan Bennett with northerness and his work, to me is full of West Yorkshire landmarks. So I was shocked to hear that the monologues were all filmed in rooms from the Eastenders set 😂
November 9, 2024
The opening essay by Nicholas Hytner was the most interesting aspect of this slim volume. How a tv show was commissioned, produced and delivered in 10 weeks. Staging 12 Bennett monologues for the BBC, 2 new, 10 classic. A fascinating insight into tv production during COVID and a reminder of those strange times. The plays themselves were fine. Just two in this volume, the new ones, with intros by Bennett. As always a mixture of the humorous, the mundane and the wildly uncomfortable as we see behind the curtains of ordinary houses, ordinary lives. These were not quite to the standard of some of the originals but interesting all the same.
May 2, 2025
I’m a big fan of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads but these two latest tales are poor examples.
Unfortunately, sexual perversion is a favourite theme of Bennett’s and this pair of Talking Heads is no exception. With ‘An Ordinary Woman’ perversion is the focus of the story but in ‘The Shrine’ the perversion is gratuitous and adds little to the plot.
These are essentially grubby tales and are not worth reading. Director Nicholas Hytner’s Introduction will be of interest to those who would like to know more about television production.
Unfortunately, sexual perversion is a favourite theme of Bennett’s and this pair of Talking Heads is no exception. With ‘An Ordinary Woman’ perversion is the focus of the story but in ‘The Shrine’ the perversion is gratuitous and adds little to the plot.
These are essentially grubby tales and are not worth reading. Director Nicholas Hytner’s Introduction will be of interest to those who would like to know more about television production.
February 16, 2023
This book brings together the scripts for two of the new episodes of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads that were creating during the COVID-19 lockdowns. They’re cracking scripts and I’ll have to watch the actual episodes, but there’s one thing in particular that stood out to me.
That was the introduction, which was written by Nichols Hytner. He wrote about how it all came about and did a fantastic job of it.
That was the introduction, which was written by Nichols Hytner. He wrote about how it all came about and did a fantastic job of it.
February 9, 2021
Seems strange that these are the first two Talking Heads that I've read, and didn't even know about the new production from the BBC which I'll have to watch. I enjoyed these, as I've enjoyed everything I've ever read by Bennett, the first was a bit odd, mind... Stepson might have been more, comfortable.
February 13, 2021
Perfect additions to the canon with An Ordinary Woman being the slightly stronger of the two. Complemented by Nicholas Hytner's forensically detailed introduction explaining all aspects of the process behind bringing Talking Heads back to the screen during a pandemic. Even with a book as short as this one, Bennett will never fail to cheer you up!
January 1, 2023
A fabulous, if rather macabre, way to begin my reading year. I just love Alan Bennett’s work.
His storytelling is so deft and immersive.
His understanding of human nature and all the weird and wonderful little foibles we are all capable of having never fails to astound me as a reader.
Highly recommend.
His storytelling is so deft and immersive.
His understanding of human nature and all the weird and wonderful little foibles we are all capable of having never fails to astound me as a reader.
Highly recommend.
October 19, 2020
Written much later than the first batch but just as good. The language is so careful. Only Victoria Wood is as good with natural language.
February 25, 2021
A great addition to the monologues.
He really is a fantastic writer Alan Bennett.
Must have been all that time spent with Peter and Dudley!
He really is a fantastic writer Alan Bennett.
Must have been all that time spent with Peter and Dudley!
June 18, 2021
interesting.
November 5, 2021
Wonderful.
December 8, 2021
I love Alan Bennett and, being from Leeds myself, can identify with so much of what he writes about from his early life.
May 20, 2022
Alan Bennett you is a belter.
December 28, 2022
This was a beautiful recollection of lockdown and the need for the arts to speak to us through the medium of television. Beautifully crafted. Too short though!
February 28, 2024
Loved the introduction by Nicholas Hytner. I enjoyed the two additonal talking heads, classic Alan Bennett, gives you the heart and bones and leaves you to add the flesh.
June 30, 2024
I’ll never tire of Bennett’s monologues. They are timeless observations with a universal appeal. He makes it look effortless.
April 15, 2025
what a treat. Just amazingly clever.....
May 17, 2025
Wicked great boss sick mega good class awesome I like.
AFTER SECOND READING:
Initially, I gave this 4 stars but I was so so wrong. I’m so sorry, Alan. As 5 as it comes. When will I learn? He’s so fucking unbelievable!!!!!!!
AFTER SECOND READING:
Initially, I gave this 4 stars but I was so so wrong. I’m so sorry, Alan. As 5 as it comes. When will I learn? He’s so fucking unbelievable!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews