The Lady in the Van

Recently the village of Ramsbury had the pleasure of seeing a performance of one of Alan Bennett’s best loved plays, The Lady in the Van, performed by The Ravensbury Players. The familiar Memorial Hall had once again been transformed into a different world, 1980’s Camden this time. The striking and clever set, designed by David Leake, was on full view to the audience on arrival, the use of stage curtains only being used in the interval, allowing the audience intimate access to Bennett’s beige lounge on one side of the stage, and to the grey brick exterior of Bennett’s house on the other where the majority of the action occurs. The audience is shown two versions of Bennett: the present day writer of the play, “writer Alan” (John Barker), a constant narrator from his desk; and the “real Alan” (Mark Davies) who engages with the world and people around him all the while bickering with his bespectacled sidekick; both with an authentic “Bennett” twang. However, Miss Shepherd (Chris Perkins), the eponymous Lady in the Van, can only see the “real Alan”, and so their complex relationship develops with the audience seeing both sides of Miss Shepherd’s contradictory personality. Although there are two Bennetts, it’s “writer Alan” who provides acerbic and wonderfully funny asides about this irascible, dogmatic, filthy, smelly soul, who had annoyed, amused and embarrassed him. We see the “real Alan’’ as her saviour and the sub-plot of which Alan is telling the truth is intriguing. Meanwhile, Shepherd recklessly bulldozes through life by moving her yellow Bedford van into Alan’s driveway and relays stories of her paradoxical past which in turn amaze and amuse. The play speeds along the timeline from the seventies to the late eighties. Neighbours Rufus (David Meyer) and Pauline (Helen Lloyd), wonderful comedic grotesques, are treated to the sight, sound and smell of the eccentric Miss Shepherd, who appears on the surface to be nothing more than a delusional tramp but as the play progresses alludes to great torment and tragedy which has lead to her down at heel circumstances. Over the years Miss Shepherd is helped by her caring social worker (Bev Mann) and tormented by a strange man known only to her (Graham Warren). Miss Shepherd is often the subject of conversation between “real Alan” and Mam (Gaye Adolf); Bennett’s concern and guilt over his mother’s fragile mental health mirrored in his interactions with the elderly Miss Shepherd. Indeed, Davies brings great heart and warmth to the role of “real Alan’ who is too polite to turn Miss Shepherd out and all too aware that he has a literary goldmine on his literal doorstep. Time marches on and inevitable old age and squalor catch up with Miss Shepherd but not before a surreal and existential exchange whereby “writer Alan” makes his peace with

Miss Shepherd and creates the ascension into Heaven that she has always craved. With her comedy timing, expert storytelling and vulnerability, Chris Perkins steals the show. Director John Barker (yes, directing and acting as “Writer Alan”) has put together an amazing show with smooth scene changes and a clear focus. No actor pulls focus when they shouldn’t and even the characters with the briefest of appearances (Samantha TillingWells, Oliver Lang, Hannah Warren and Matthew Haynes) are of the utmost importance. Newman was magical, with the beams of impeccably placed spotlights playing their own distinct parts in the show. Doug Greenway seamlessly blended sound effects that lifted and enhanced the action on stage. Fiona Setter provided costumes to the Alans and supporting characters that were unique to the time period and everything complemented each other.

The Ravensbury Players will be back with a new production next year. Keep up to date on Facebook @RavensburyPlayers or email the group directly on ravensburyplayers@

gmail.com

In addition, the lighting design of Paul

Jessica Perkins

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