Alan Bennett's Monologues as Dramas

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Alan Bennett's Monologues as Dramas

These plays are written for TV rather than theatre and are

experimental for different styles of acting with more emphasis being

placed on the single actors face. This is in order to show subtle

changes in expressions hopefully giving the viewer a more clear

insight into the characters feelings. This is more appropriate for "A

Cream Cracker…" as it is a moving story, which is portrayed, even more

so in the subtle movement of Doris's face "Cracked the photo. We're

cracked, Wilfred." Doris has cracked her wedding photo to her late

husband Wilfred, the sadness being emphasized not only through her

voice but through facial expressions is far more effective. It also

works well in "Her Big Chance" as the falseness of Leslie comes across

through her trying to be professional and the false gestures and

expressions she puts into doing this. "Are you on the cans because id

like some direction on this point." Here Leslie is an extra on the

daytime soap Crossroads and is asking for direction on the simplest of

parts, in order to suggest that she is professional so that she might

get a call back. While putting this across to the viewers she uses

gestures suggesting that Rex is not as professional and devoted to the

job as her.

In these plays there is only a single actor/actress in these cases

"Leslie" and "Doris" with all the other characters seen through the

eyes of the main character. This does not give us the chance to have

our own opinions about the other characters but gives us the views and

opinions of the main character. This is useful on both plays as

although it tells us less about sub characters it tells us a lot more

about "Leslie" and "Doris" and their feelings about the people around

them. "I've a feeling Scott may be gay" Leslie suggests this as he is

the only man, to date, involved in the film who has not attempted to

take advantage of her naivety. This tells us of how she is naive and

finds herself extremely attractive, as the first man who doesn't make

a sexual advance towards her is labeled gay. "Zulema doesn't dust. She

half-dusts." From this we learn that Doris takes pride in her home and

likes it spick and span, also that she thinks she is able to live

alone and does not need home help. It also tells us a bit about

Zulema, that she is not fully devoted to her work as the dusting is

only half done.

Both actresses portray the characters very well and make them both

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