The Lady in The Van: SA Premiere for The Stirling Players

The Stirling Players have continued their reputation for staging quirky and challenging plays, with their October production of Alan Bennett’s funny yet poignant work, The Lady in The Van.

The story is based on the well-known playwright’s own real-life experience.Charity well and truly began at home when, in the 1970’s, Bennett allowed an elderly itinerant woman to park her smelly, live-in van in his driveway. Little did he know he had started a turbulent fifteen-year relationship with the mysterious and cantankerous Miss Shepherd.

Director Dave Simms is known for his innovative directorial approach and true to form, this production includes delightful and surprising elements, including the way in which Alan Bennett1 and Alan Bennett 2 are introduced to the audience. In the Dennis Peach- designed set, Simms cleverly mirrors the episodic story, starting with only a writer’s desk and introducing the driveway and garden like a pop-up picture book as the narrative unfolds. After Miss Shepherd’s death the return to only Bennett’s desk on a bare stage is a poignant touch.

The use of two Alan Bennett characters denotes the author as a man in two minds. Lee Cook is a stand-out as Alan Bennett 1, the young writer struggling in the ‘real life’ present to deal with the conflicting dilemmas of Miss Bennett’s all-consuming needs and those of his own dementing mother. Tim Edhouse provides a strong contrast as the insightful and verbose Alan Bennett 2, who has the benefit of hindsight in narrating the story.

With a fine sense of comic timing and control, Jill Morrell embodies the imperious, pious and irascible Miss Shepherd. Her dignity hints at the possible well-bred background of this mysterious woman. Although at times I wanted the irascible side of Miss Shepherd’s nature to be more strongly portrayed, Morrell’s performance on opening night was excellent, particularly the poignant monologue in which Miss Shepherd reminisced about her thwarted dreams as a concert pianist.

Among the remaining cast, Myra Waddell demonstrates her wealth of stage experience and her competence with accents (not all accents are as even) in her portrayal of Mam, Bennett’s confused mother.

In their difficult roles as Rufus and Pauline, Malcolm Walton and Debbie Tester are less successful, with their characters appearing over-acted. Having said that, these two characters represent many neighbours over fifteen years and so may have been intended as a little stereotypical.

Kate Van Der Horst is more believable as the interviewer than in her alternate role as a doctor, while Melissa Esposito produces a natural performance as the social worker. Tim Blackshaw, as Underwood, Neville Phillis, as a doctor/ Fairchild and Alex King as a lout are all competent in their roles. Many actors play more than one role, including as pallbearers and in ensemble work.

Pace lagged at times on opening night but as the season progresses this should improve.

Dennis Peach and his construction team have excelled in producing the folding set, along with Miss Shepherd’s unique vehicles.

Lighting and sound design, by Andrew Noble and Paul Tossell respectively are successful, denoting the gentle nature of the play.

Costumes by Viki Burrett and Jane Bleby are excellent, particularly in the duplication of the two Alan Bennetts’ clothing and the multiple incantations of Miss Shepherd’s bizarre urine and faeces-stained layered getups.

The Lady in The Van is a long play, but The Stirling Players’ portrayal of the unique and conflicted bond between Alan Bennett and his unlikely house guest is absorbing and well-presented. It’s definitely worth a trip up to Stirling to see this production.

Lesley Reed