Talking Heads

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Talking Heads

‘Talking heads’ are a set of monologues, written by Alan Bennett. They show us different characters that each have a certain problem. All of Bennett’s characters have an obsession, for example Leslie is obsesses with herself and status ‘’ I was a sophisticated woman’’, Irene Ruddock is obsessed with writing letters and spying on her neighbourhood ‘’I sat in the front room in the dark watching the house’’, and Doris has an obsession with cleaning ‘’Zulema doesn’t dust’’. Monologues are plays or scenes where only one person is speaking to the audience. It usually involves that one person telling us about themselves and possibly stories. Monologues are different from other kinds of text as there is little physical action involved. I feel it is much more complicated for an actor to perform a monologue because the actor has to revise and learn a large amount of lines to recite. The main effect of a play being written for television is to reach across to an audience larger than that of a theatre. This may make the audience more interested as they are watching a performance of a character who they believe to be outrageous. (The audience loves to hate them).

The three studies monologues interlink as all the characters have an obsession; and some have a common mis-en-scene e.g. (Irene in her tasteless, old lounge and a window; Doris with an old lounge and furniture, which also includes a window). All three characters are very stereo typical in many aspects and each have strong prejudices. Bennett uses nostalgia in all three monologues. Lesley, Irene and Doris are often referring to the past with admiration. Bennett has possibly created the Nostalgia for the audience to spite the character; his aim may be for us to give less sympathy. Irene and Doris, who are the older characters tend to have more nostalgia in their monologues. The characters each try and convince the audience that their views and beliefs are right, even though the audience remains unconvinced.

Talking heads was written in the 1980’s; around the same time that Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister or ‘The Iron Lady’ as she was nicknamed. Margaret Thatcher became quite unpopular during her time as Prime Minister, as she reduced NHS funds and privatised several companies such as the British railways. The Prime Minister’s actions led to increasing unemployment and the economy led to a more materialistic public. Margaret Thatcher relates to Irene in Talking Heads as she often does what she believes is right, but does involve the views of everyone else when taking action. It is ironic that Margaret Thatcher’s role of Prime Minister was to help boost the countries economy and improve standards, but instead helped make certain matters worse.

Talking Heads relates to soaps such as Eastenders as many of the characters in soaps lead a miserable and Tragic Life. Several of the characters in talking heads have some sort of miserable situation, which links tragedy with normality. Irene and Doris are both lonely.

Eastenders was around at the same time as ‘Talking Heads’, and reflects a story by someone who has tries to make convincing characters who are Anti-Heroes (we love to hate them).

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Irene Ruddock has been given an expected Mis-en-scene in her monologue. She has many old items, her furniture and possessions as well as her clothes. Irene uses a lot of nostalgia, which shows that she was brought up in a time when everything to her seemed better. From the text in Irene’s monologue we discover that she is very nosy and quick judging, ‘’She can’t be more than twenty and by the look of her she’s expecting another.’’ This may suggest that the activity in the neighbourhood is not to her liking.

In such shows as ‘The office’ whose ...

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