The Lady in the Van: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization [Audiobook, CD] [Audio CD]

Alan Bennett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2009

In the 1970s, an eccentric old lady called Miss Shepherd lived in an old van opposite Alan Bennett's house. That is until new parking regulations come into force. He suggested moving the van onto his driveway. The resulting odd relationship - not quite a friendship - lasted for 20 years until Miss Shepherd's death. The play is based on entries from Bennett's diaries of the period. Bennett uses the situation to explore the line between acceptable and unacceptable mental illness; the troubling contrast between his care of Miss Shepherd vs. comparative neglect of his own mother; and the various ways in which even the officially sane can deny reality.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Bennett was first on stage with the Oxford Theatre Group in 1959. He collaborated on the revue Beyond the Fringe, which opened in Edinburgh in 1960 and then to the West End and Broadway. His collection of diary entries, essays and reviews, Writing Home (1994) was a bestseller. His other works include: The Wind in the Willows for the National Theatre, The Madness of George III, and Talking Heads.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: AudioGO Ltd. (September 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602837368
• ISBN-13: 978-1602837362
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Fabo, October 9, 2011

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This review is from: The Lady in the Van: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization (Audio CD)

You will love this; Alan Bennett is so "down to earth" with his northern England accent. I wish I had seen Maggie Smith perform this as a play in the west end. Maybe some other theatre group will do this play.