Alan Bennett

The complete audio collection of Alan Bennett's celebrated monologues, published together for the first time and performed by some of Britain's best actorsThe 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 are: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.

A radio adaptation of Alan Bennett's short autobiographical play, originally directed by Nicholas Hytner for the National Theatre. Alan looks back on his early life with affection and sadness, revisiting some of the themes and conversations of his memoir 'A Life Like other People's'. Both he and his mother are seduced by the idea that other people's lives are much richer and fulfilling than their own. But when they do, finally, have cocktail parties, they are not at all what his mother would have envisaged.... Alan is played by Alex Jennings and Alan Bennett, supported by the original National theatre cast of Gabrielle Lloyd, Jeff Rawle, Sue Wallace and Derek Hutchinson.

Alan Bennett reads five much-loved stories by Kenneth Grahame, Lewis Carroll and AA Milne. Alan Bennett's distinctive readings of these cherished children's stories have become classics in their own right. Portraying each character in his own inimitable fashion, his delightfully expressive voice perfectly conveys the sparkling humour, charm and magic of these timeless tales. The Wind in the Willows tells the classic story of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad (of Toad Hall) and their waterside adventures. Alice in Wonderland sees Alice following a white rabbit down a hole and embarking on a series of adventures with some of the most weird and wonderful characters ever encountered. Through the Looking Glass continues Alice's adventures, as she sees another world in the looking glass and wishes she could go there. In a selection of stories from Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place, Eeyore loses a tail, Piglet meets a Heffalump, Eeyore has a birthday, and an 'expotition' to the North Pole is mounted. The House at Pooh Corner finds Pooh and Piglet building a house for Eeyore, whilst Tigger comes to the forest and has breakfast. Piglet nearly meets the Heffalump again, Pooh invents a new game, and Owl moves house. Duration: 7 hours 50 mins approx.

A unique collection of eight Alan Bennett stories, read by the author. Alan Bennett is one of Britain's best-loved authors and an acclaimed storyteller. This exclusive compilation includes eight of his best tales, collected together for the first time. Here is his celebrated, iconic memoir The Lady in the Van; as well as two fascinating autobiographical accounts of his family and childhood. Uncle Clarence sees Bennett visiting the grave of a relative who died in Flanders in 1917; while in Hymn he joins forces with composer George Fenton and the Medici String Quartet to explore his musical memories. Bennett's incisive, acute observations shine through in his fiction too, with wry, moving and darkly humorous meditations on death (Father! Father! Burning Bright and The Laying On of Hands), sex (The Shielding of Mrs Forbes) and middle-age ennui (The Clothes They Stood Up In). His gift for affectionate satire reaches its pinnacle in The Uncommon Reader, a delightful tale in which the Queen discovers the pleasures of literature. Poignant, compassionate, wise and witty, the stories included are The Lady in the Van, Uncle Clarence, The Clothes They Stood Up In, Father! Father! Burning Bright, Hymn, The Laying On of Hands, The Uncommon Reader and The Shielding of Mrs Forbes. Duration: 13 hours approx.

The complete collected edition of the award-winning writer''s unforgettable Untold Stories

Over the course of his distinguished entertainment career, Alan Bennett has received multiple awards and honours, including two BAFTAs, four Laurence Olivier Awards, two Tony Awards, an Academy Award nomination for his film The Madness of King George, and a British Book Award for Author of the Year in 2006. In this four-part collection of his remarkable Untold Stories, the acclaimed writer considers his childhood, career, and the current state of the world with his customary blend of wit and poignancy.

Part 1: Stories is a moving family memoir recalling his parents'' marriage, the lives and deaths of his aunts, and the revelation of a long-held family secret. Part 2: The Diaries covers Alan Bennett''s celebrated diaries for 1997-2004, in which he celebrates the joys of nature and comments on the state of the arts and politics with humour and sharp observation. Part 3: Written on the Body is a reflection on youth and a meditation on writing itself, with a look at Alan''s schooling in Leeds, the growing pains of puberty, and a window into his creative process. Part 4: A Common Assault harks back to a mugging incident in Italy, a glimpse into his own schooldays that became the inspiration for The History Boys, and a light note on his thoughts on the Honours System.

Funny, thoughtful, and fascinating, this wonderful series of essays and stories read by the author offers an extraordinary journey into an exceptional career. For those who want to hear Alan Bennett narrate more of his memoirs, Alan Bennett: Diaries is also available from BBC Audio.

Extracts originally broadcast on Radio 4:
10 October - 14 October 2005
20 November - 24 November 2006

Production credits
Read by Alan Bennett
Produced by Gordon House

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Alan Bennett reads three enchanting Doctor Dolittle storiesDoctor Dolittle has an extraordinary talent - he can talk to the animals! Taught by his parrot, Polynesia, he is soon able to chat to every kind of creature - and his skill leads him into all sorts of adventures.In The Story of Doctor Dolittle, the Doctor and his pets set sail for Africa to save the monkeys - but they face great danger and challenges, including a sinking ship and Barbary pirates...The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle finds Doctor Dolittle on the high seas once again, this time with his young friend Tommy Stubbins. The pair head for Spider Monkey Island, a mysterious place of magic and secrets... Doctor Dolittle's Circus sees the Doctor in need of money, so he and his Pushmi-Pullyu join the circus. They're such a hit with the other animals that Doctor Dolittle soon finds himself running the show!Brilliantly read by Alan Bennett, whose delightfully whimsical rendition brings Doctor Dolittle and all his animal friends magically to life, this charming collection of stories will delight listeners young and old.

Alan Bennett reads the latest instalment of his diaries, as heard on BBC Radio 4 s Book of the Week. Following on from Alan Bennett's bestselling, award-winning prose collections Writing Home and Untold Stories, Keeping On Keeping On is a third anthology featuring his unique observations, recollections and reminiscences. At its heart is his latest published collection of diaries. In these entries, covering the years 2005 to 2014, Bennett looks back on a packed decade that included writing four highly-acclaimed plays The Habit of Art, People, Hymn and Cocktail Sticks, all of which premiered at the National Theatre as well as the screenplays for the hit films of The History Boys and The Lady in the Van. In addition, he reflects on his 25 years of friendship and collaboration with director Nicholas Hytner, life with his partner Rupert Thomas and, radical views notwithstanding, his status as kindly, cosy and essentially harmless . Packed with perceptive impressions of people and places, sharp social commentary, expressive description and delightful jokes, this irresistible record of life according to Alan Bennett is a treasury of wisdom and insight. Duration: 2 hours 20 mins approx.

Classic memoirs from the acclaimed English actor, author, playwright, and screenwriter

Alan Bennett is one of the country''s most celebrated and best-loved authors. This unmissable collection of diaries and memoirs brings together for the first time Telling Tales, Diaries: 1980-1990, the autobiographical section of Untold Stories, which covers the period 1997-2004, and Keeping On Keeping On: The Diaries 2005-2014.

In his earliest collection of diaries, Alan Bennett offers a fascinating insight into his life in the eighties, working on location for his early films and enjoying life at home in Camden. In the diaries of Untold Stories, he enjoys the simple pleasures of nature and wonders about the state of religion and politics at the end of the twentieth century. In Keeping On Keeping On, he looks back at a busy decade that saw him write four highly acclaimed plays, reflects on his life with his partner, Rupert Thomas, and considers his lately found status as ''kindly, cosy and essentially harmless''. Telling Tales, meanwhile, provides ten childhood snapshots and reminiscences about his early years-charting his development from a schoolboy in Leeds to a doubtful agnostic teen, as well as his undergraduate life at the University of Oxford.

With wit, wisdom, sharp social commentary and perceptive impressions, Alan Bennett''s memoirs and diaries are a joy to discover, and a delight to hear again. For those who want to listen to Alan Bennett read Untold Stories in its complete form, Alan Bennett: Untold Stories is also available from BBC Audio.

Originally broadcast on Radio 4:
4 June - 15 June 2001 (Telling Tales)
10 October - 14 October 1994 (Diaries 1980-1990)
10 October - 14 October 2005 (Untold Stories)
24 October - 4 November 2016 (Keeping On Keeping On: The Diaries, 2005-2014)

Production credits
Read by Alan Bennett

Music by George Fenton
Produced by Liz Allard (Telling Tales)

Abridged by Pat McLoughlin
Produced by Gillian Hush (Diaries 1980-1990)

Abridged and produced by Gordon House (Untold Stories)

Abridged and produced by Gordon House (Keeping On Keeping On: The Diaries, 2005-2014)

© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

One Spring morning, Mole abandons his spring cleaning and surfaces into the sunlight and warm grass of a great meadow. Rambling busily along the hedgerows he comes all at once to the edge of a river. Mole is entranced. Here on the river bank he meets the Water Rat. Mole stays with the Water Rat in his snug waterside home where the river laps at the sill of the window and here he meets Ratty's friends: Badger who lives in the Wild Wood and the incorrigible Toad of Toad Hall.A timeless tale of waterside Britain that has been loved by generations of children and acclaimed as a classic. The story of Mole, Ratty, Badger, and Toad and their escapades, whether messing about on the river or puttering about in Toad's shiny new car, cannot fail to enchant every listener.Many of the original cast from Alan Bennett's acclaimed National Theatre production appear in this dramatization for BBC Radio 4, including Richard Briers as Rat, Adrian Scarborough as Mole, and Terence Rigby as Albert, with Alan Bennett as the narrator.

Maggie Smith stars in this BBC radio adaptation of Alan Bennett's highly acclaimed autobiographical stage playAn eccentric old lady moves into a quiet street in Camden Town. There she remains, installed in her van in glorious self-sufficiency, until the council instructs her to move on. Then a kind homeowner invites her to move her van into his garden - where she stays for the next fifteen years. This is the fascinating story of the genteel vagrant who found a unique place in Alan Bennett's life and writing.But the drama is as much about the author himself as Miss Shepherd. Why did Alan Bennett let her commandeer his driveway? Was he acting out of kindness, weakness, or hidden guilt over not spending enough time with his own mother? Did he always subconsciously plan to exploit Miss Shepherd for literary profit? Thought-provoking and moving, The Lady in the Van tackles profound questions about social responsibility, homelessness and mental illness with a lightness of touch characteristic of Bennett the master storyteller.With a full cast including Adrian Scarborough, Marcia Warren and Alan Bennett, this bitter-sweet comic tale stars Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd.Now a major BBC feature film, starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.

A unique collection of twelve full-cast BBC Radio productions of plays by Alan Bennett. The titles are Forty Years On ; A Visit from Miss Prothero ; Say Something Happened ; Kafka's Dick ; Two in Torquay ; The Madness of George III ; The History Boys ; An Englishman Abroad; A Question of Attribution; The Lady in the Van ; Cocktail Sticks and The Last of the Sun. The cast includes John Gielgud, Patricia Routledge, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench, Thora Hird, Alex Jennings and many more. Duration: 15 hours approx