THREE emerging directors and three "veteran" Rowntree Players actors come together to present three of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads monologues at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tonight and Saturday.
First, Sara Howlett plays delusional actress Lesley in Her Big Chance, directed by Tamsin Winstanley; next, the neurotic Graham Whittaker will be played by Andy Welch, paired with young director Finn Ella in A Chip In The Sugar; and finally, the questionable Muriel is taken on by Beryl Nairn, with Simon Alnaimi directing.
“Talking Heads is a classic of theatre and television, and its humour and poignancy are still very relevant today,” says the Players' Howard Ella. "The three chosen monologues are entertaining in their own right, but seeing them back to back, you get a real sense of their contrast; from funny, to sad, to ridiculous.
Sara Howlett as actress Lesley in Her Big Chance. Picture: Michael J Oakes
"Each piece follows a different character as they regale their story from their amusing and, at times, upsetting lives: from an irritated son, trying to prevent his mother from experiencing heartbreak, to an overconfident actress with delusions of grandeur and a naïve older women whose trust becomes her downfall".
Each newcomer to the director's chair will be contributing a new interpretation of Bennett's work. By featuring new talent, the Players hope to encourage York audiences to see a novel take on some of the Leeds playwright's best work, be it watching for the first time, or discovering it all over again.
“The beauty of Bennett is that he is timeless,” says Howard. “We see these monologues appealing to all lovers of theatre, whether you've been coming for years, or even if it's your first time.”
Beryl Nairn as Muriel Carpenter in Soldiering On. Picture: Michael J Oakes
Commenting on directing for Rowntree Players for the first time, Simon Alnaimi says: "It's been an absolute pleasure and thrill from the get-go. We began by interpreting the words ourselves and getting to the bottom of Muriel as a character.
"I believe those open discussions really helped us progress, as we started to delve into the motivation behind certain words and phrases. Beryl is an amazing actor and we were fortunate that our ideas were so in sync.
"Hopefully you'll see just how deep the rabbit hole goes on stage and you'll be questioning what kind of person Muriel is for days after the monologue has ended."
Tickets for tonight's 7:30pm performance and Saturday's 2:30pm and 7:30pm shows are on sale at £8 on 01904 501 935, in person at the Haxby Road box office or at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk
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