Review of Loft Theatre Company production of The Lady in the Van (2010)

Here is a tale so unusual and off-the-wall that it could only be true. And the fact that it happened to Alan Bennett makes the whole thing even more wry.

What isn’t surprising is that the writer chose to capitalise on a gift of a theme to construct this piece of whimsical nostalgia and curiosity in the form of an autobiographical memoir.

It also provides a gift of an acting challenge in the grotesque, bulky bagwoman figure of Miss Shepherd who lived in a van in Bennett’s garden for 15 years, dispensing lots of disdainful rhetoric along with a steady stream of unpleasant odours. Sue Moore plunges headlong into the role, delivering a lovely line in decaying arrogance to go with a wonderful waddle. Contrasting shades of humour and pathos are beautifully achieved in this bravura performance.

But William Wilkinson’s production keeps a tight grip on the fact that it is every bit as much about the moral dilemmas facing Bennett over his uninvited long-term guest. As the younger Alan, Howard Scott Walker underplays with considerable subtlety to explore the bemusement and uncertainties confronting the paradoxically downbeat character of one of our wittiest playwrights.

The play also provides a fitting alter-ego through an older, philosophical Alan overseeing the past, nicely realised by Rod Wilkinson with a much more smiling and cavalier understanding gained from Bennett’s hindsight.

Few punches are pulled in dialogue which boldly touches on incontinence pads, used condoms and worse. And there are sprinklings of true Bennett one-liners. But the piece is overlong, suggesting author’s indulgence. It’s a pity when some of the play’s key issues begin to seem rather laboured, through no fault of such an impressively committed production.

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Peter McGarry is an experienced, independent professional theatre critic who has agreed to review Loft Theatre Company productions.

The agreement with the Loft is that Peter is free to express his opinions for good or ill. The Loft Theatre Company has no control whatsoever over the content of these reviews and will never comment publicly on what he writes.