A Glasgay co-production with the Tron Theatre for its 25th Anniversary

ALAN BENNETT’s Talking Heads 7- 12 Nov 2006

* Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances Gwyneth Guthrie has been kindly replaced by Anne Raitt

Directed by Grant Smeaton Designed by Veronica Rennie Produced by Steven Thomson Lighting Design by Paul Sorley Stage Management by Clare McNeill

cast & schedule Tuesday 7th Nov A Chip in the Sugar Ross Stenhouse A Cream Cracker Under the Settee Kay Gallie Wednesday 8th Nov A Lady of Letters Anne Raitt Her Big Chance Pauline Goldsmith Thursday 9th Nov Bed Among the Lentils Jill Riddiford A Cream Cracker Under the Settee Kay Gallie Friday 10th Nov A Lady of Letters Anne Raitt A Chip in the Sugar Ross Stenhouse Saturday 11th Nov Her Big Chance Pauline Goldsmith A Lady of Letters Anne Raitt Sunday 12th Nov Bed Among the Lentils Jill Riddiford A Cream Cracker Under the Settee Kay Gallie A rare chance to see five of the original ‘Talking Heads’ - Alan Bennett’s wonderful, legendary 80s television monologues which held the seeds of discomfort of a Britain (and a world) changing beyond recognition. Five individuals trapped behind the net curtains of a fast disappearing society. Their stories are poignant, hilarious, sometimes sad, occasionally uplifting, and they all showcase Alan Bennett's powers of observation, comic timing and exquisite turn of phrase. Bennett may be regarded as a national treasure but the cosiness of that tag belies the darker, harsher, more satirically barbed nature of his work.

Devoted son Graham’s life is turned upside down when a man from mother’s past shows up and deigns to entertain them in a tearoom where there’s “A Chip in the Sugar” Doris’s feisty independence leaves her helpless on the floor where she spies “A Cream Cracker Under the Settee”. But could this water biscuit be her last meal? Curtain twitching Irene’s fervent correspondence gets her into trouble with the law but this “Lady of Letters” finds the freedom she craves in the most unexpected place. Delusional actress Lesley thinks “Her Big Chance” will come just after she’s completed the low-budget semi-porn movie she’s currently shooting. Disillusioned vicar’s wife Susan’s mid life crisis drives her to the communion wine, the back shop of Mr Ramesh’s grocery store and “A Bed Among the Lentils”.

biographies Kay Gallie Kay Gallie was born and educated in Edinburgh and trained at the RSAMD. Her theatre work includes The Last Yankee, Rockaby (Arches Theatre), A Happy Medium, Much Ado about Nothing (Byre Theatre), Factory Girls (7:84), Uncle Variek (Royal Lyceum Theatre). This year she has performed in Moldova (Oran Mor), Rockaby (The Edinburgh Festival) and Ubu the King (The Cervantino Festival, Mexico). Her TV and film credits include Mandancing, Last Chance, Rice Paper Stars, Tinseltown, Still Game as well as numerous radio productions. Pauline Goldmsith This year Pauline appeared in Elizabeth Gordon Quinn (National Theatre Scotland,) her own comedy show Should Have had the Fish, in the BAFTA nominated film Hikikomori and received a Creative Scotland Award. Previously she won Stage Best Actress for Not I and toured her funeral show Bright

Colours Only from Belfast to Brazil - in a hearse. Anne Raitt * Anne Raitt has appeared in many film, television and radio productions over the last 30 years. In particular she spent 18 years at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has also appeared in leading roles in high profile productions at the Royal Court Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, The Bush Theatre, The National Theatre, The Young Vic, Liverpool Everyman and Riverside Studios. Jill Riddiford Jill trained at the RSAMD in Glasgow. Recent theatre credits include: Spend A Penny: The Refusal, A Kind of Alaska, Moonlight, The Devils and The Merchant of Venice (Glasgow Arches); The Wizard of Oz and The Snow Queen (Stirling Macrobert); Holly and Ivy (Catherine Wheels) Dr. Korczak’s Example, King Matt and The Good Woman of Sechuan (TAG TC/Battersea Arts Centre); Peter Pan (Wee Stories/Newcastle Playhouse); Wiping My Mother’s Arse (Edinburgh Traverse) and The Speculator (Edinburgh Traverse/Edinburgh International Festival) Film and television credits include: River City (BBC), High Road (STV), Our Friends in the North (BBC), Blue Christmas (Percussion Pictures) and Cardiac Arrest (BBC/Island World Productions). Ross Stenhouse Recent theatre credits include Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay; Boiling A Frog (7:84), Cut to the Chase (Complete Productions); Cinderella, Mother Goose, Babes in The Wood (Take Two), and Tam O’Shanter, Inferno and Spend A Penny (Arches). Ross is currently directing Hansel and Gretel for Hopscotch Theatre Company.

thanks Tron Theatre & Staff, The Arches, Mallinson Television Productions, RSAMD, Kate Rennie, Jim Kerr. Sponsored by Unison