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Title: Alan Bennett
Subtitle: Talking Heads 2
Author: Alan Bennett
Narrator: various
Format: Original Recording
Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins
Language: English
Release date: 10-21-05
Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited
Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 44 votes
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
Publisher's Summary:
In these six new pieces Alan Bennett retains the gripping stories, intensity of delivery, and masterly style of his original monologues. The suburban normality of the world his characters inhabit once again belies their lives of secrets, revelations, fears, crimes, and passions. They tell their stories, and in doing so reveal more than they know of the humour, passion, and sadness of their lives.
Alongside the original pieces, these superb monologues form one of the great contributions to television drama.
Included in this collection are:
Members Reviews:
Outstanding performances
In each of these monologues humor is mixed with the sadness of each character's life. The sadness may come from a dramatic tragedy, or from a failure to connect, or from the inability to break free.
Patricia Routledge amazed me as the title character of "Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet." She's always a treat, and of course I'll never look at chiropodists the same way after this little story.
Eileen Atkins' realistic portrayal of Celia in "The Hand of God" was the pure distillation of the characters of many antiques dealers I've known. If you're a collector, you'll know her at once. Something like what occurs in the story does happen from time to time, which makes it all the better.
Penelope Wilton's quiet, elegant voice makes her story, "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" all the more chilling.
So perfectly did these three actresses perform their stories that I cannot imagine anyone else in the roles.
Bennett provokes, prods, and cajoles us into facing the truth. But even when it's uncomfortable, we end up better for having heard him, for he speaks for those who are not heard, but keep on going nonetheless.
Essential
Follow up to the original Talking Heads is just as wonderful as its predecessor. Excellent performances make the audio version the definitive version for this series. This is a recording that you will be listening to over and over again.
Excellent
The perfect blend of tragi-comedy from the pen of one of England's best writers, delivered by the cream of the UK's acting profession. Unmissable.
wendygai
Excellent, engaging, entertaining.
Hilarious, moving, haunting
Would you listen to Alan Bennett again? Why?
I'm going to listen to all these again and get the first series too. So well written and preformed. They'll all read so differently the second time around as I only picked up on so many of the hints. Each performance was engrossing. I've heard these parodied so many times I thought that I probably wouldn't get much out of it, and whilst there were a good few mentions of biscuits, drizzle and slacks, I wasn't quite prepared for how haunting these would be.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The first story in particular made me laugh. Some wonderful turns of phrase and brilliant timing by Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket off Keeping up Appearances).
The story with Thora Hird practically made me sob while walking down the street. Really sad stuff.
Any additional comments?
For an audible book its fairly short, but has amazing re-listen value, and you can jump in at any chapter depending on your mood. So although it seems like bad value compared to a 25hr book, its actually worth the money/credit.
