ALAN Bennett's Talking Heads are popping into the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from today until Saturday, courtesy of Rowntree Players' cast of homegrown female talent.

Following on from the Players' first triptych of Bennett's monologues in June last year – Her Big Chance, A Chip In The Sugar and Soldiering On – the York company completes the set with Bed Among The Lentils, A Lady Of Letters and A Cream Cracker Under The Settee, performed back to back.

In the first, a vicar’s wife looks for happiness in unlikely places; next, a troublesome woman wields pen and paper like (anti-)social weapons, and lastly, an older woman finds herself trapped on the floor, as each monologue brings Bennett’s dark humour and uncanny reflection of British life to the bumpy surface.

This week's production features cast members new to the Players, along with new directors. "It’s been fantastic overseeing the whole creative process," says production coordinator Marie-Louise Surgenor. "Each director and all but one actor is a new face at Rowntree Players, but they’ve each brought an originality to the scripts that even lifelong fans of the monologues will enjoy."

Imogen Wood directs Kathryn Addison as Susan in Bed Among The Lentils; Angela Stone directs Helen Sally Wilson as Irene in A Lady Of Letters and Nik Briggs directs Jeanette Hunter as Doris in A Cream Cracker Under The Settee.

Tickets for all seats are £10, a decision the Players took to encourage new and old fans alike to return to the theatre. "We want these plays to be enjoyed by as many people as possible," says Marie. "So we made sure to make the price reasonable, so that everyone is given the opportunity to see fantastic local talent in York."

Tickets for the 7.30pm performances can be booked at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk or on 01904 501 935.