Talking Heads (plays)

Talking Heads is a series of dramatic monologues written for BBC television by the acclaimed British playwright Alan Bennett. The pieces have since been broadcast on BBC Radio, performed in live theatre, and included on the A-level English Literature syllabus. They have also played on PBS in the United States as part of its Masterpiece Theatre programme. In 2002, seven of the pieces were performed at the Tiffany Theater in Los Angeles for a highly-praised engagement. In 2003, several of the monologues premiered in New York at the Minetta Theatre. The entire series is now available on DVD and also in published form.

Summary

There are two seasons of Talking Heads, each composed of six episodes, along with a thirteenth play, A Woman of No Importance, which, while not released alongside Talking Heads, generally fits into the canon. A Woman of No Importance was written considerably earlier than the other twelve installments.

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Although the plays deal with a variety of subjects, there are certain recurring themes, such as loneliness, hubris, and romantic irony.

Related Topics:
Themes - Hubris - Irony

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Most of the plays give some hint as to where they are set - mostly in Leeds, although not, as Bennett stresses, the real Leeds, rather one that exists in his head. For example, Matthias Robinsons, in which Miss Fozzard works, closed in the 1960s.

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