Theatre: The Lady in the Van......

Presented by Gallery Players 

First a book, a play and then a film, The Lady in the Van tells the true story of Alan Bennett's strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in 1974 before allowing her ‘temporarily’ to park her Bedford van in the driveway of his Camden home. 

For Alan Bennett charity truly began at home but little did he know that she would remain there for fifteen years. 
This wonderfully witty play centres on their extraordinary relationship, which for Bennett was a source of intrigue, frustration and compassion.

"One seldom was able to do her a good turn without some thoughts of strangulation”.

As Alan Bennett very candidly admits, he and Miss Shepherd mutually benefited from her presence; he provided her with a safe haven while she acted as his muse, providing endless humorous material with her rude interactions with the outside world.

The story is funny, poignant and life affirming.

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I'd seen the film some years ago and this was an amateur production that certainly did it justice.

Two Alan Bennett's (Steve Taplin and Daren Nunn) who complimented and mimicked each other really well. An excellent way of thinking out loud by talking to each other!
And Mary Shepherd (Jenni Horne) who delivered her lines so well it was really hard to decide if she was highly intelligent or a raving lunatic.

A very clever set with a full size Bedford van not only on stage but moving around the stage too.

There were quite a few other characters supporting the whole story.
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A Quick Break in Norfolk.......

For Hubby's last birthday in February I gave him a two night's hotel voucher from Buy-a-gift and we needed to use it before it expired in August and actually hoped to use it before the school holidays started as most venues won't accept the voucher at peak times anyway. We managed it this week.

Not wanting to spend hours and hours travelling Hubby chose The Orangery B&B near Holt in Norfolk. This turned out to be in the middle of nowhere, so lots of driving down tiny country lanes while concentrating on the sat-nav (well done Hubby). It was a rebuilt farm plot with a stable and five buildings. The owners live in one and the others are all holiday rentals. Ours had two bedrooms, we had the downstairs one and although someone stayed in the other upstairs room on Tuesday night we never actually saw them. There was a lounge diner and kitchen as shared space. The continental-style breakfast was laid out on the table each morning to help yourself.

We did lots of walking and unfortunately right at the start I must have had a bit of sand or something in my shoe so caused a big blister grrrrr, thank goodness for blister plasters which was the first thing I applied when we got to the place and unzipped our case!
As well as walking there was ice cream and lunches and regular pots of tea in the following places.

Monday
Stiffkey
Holkham
Burnham Overy Staithe

Wells-Next-the-Sea

There was a film I wanted to see and we never managed to fit it in before so we found the Cinema in Dereham online and booked our tickets (this meant Hubby wouldn't back out last minute hahaha). Lovely small cinema with two screens and small auditorium.

The film was brilliant and we both enjoyed it. Highly recommend it.

Tuesday
Sheringham Park, National Trust, but only had to pay £6 to park the car.

Cromer, this was by the lifeboat station

We are English Heritage members and have been for many years but rarely get our money's worth. So looking through the book we found Baconsthorpe Castle but it was a free entry place anyway hahaha.

Wednesday
Started with a lovely walk around Sheringham, such an interesting town centre as so many small independent shops. By mid-morning it was already feeling quite hot.

Felbrigg Hall next. A National Trust property. Lunch first as you can always rely on NT for their cafe. So nice to walk around inside as these big houses are always nice and cool.

Home about 5pm-ish and out again at 7pm!
So just the two of us for a change and our first holiday this year!

June was worth writing about.....

.......but I just didn't. Guess nothing was amazingly, instantly, worthy of sharing. But there was a mix of highs, lows and just the normal plodding along.

M's Creative Computing Club moved into its very own premises and we had helped where we could with the building refurbishment to get it lab ready for classes (hubby far more useful than me). We were invited to the Grand Opening event, lots of people there and all saying lovely things about M and I even saw a couple of people I know. So very proud of M and Daughter too and all they've achieved so far, although I've a feeling there will be bigger dreams M wants to achieve. He was also honored by a BAFTA award for best UK mentor to young games designers! WOW

We've had the usual coffee morning and I've attended my monthly craft day where I've taken this black knitting for quite some time, well I finally finished the knitting (but sewn together in July).

With Daughter E has been doing uni visits. Some have needed sleepovers with friends nearby and that often means sleepover here too for O. R and Tilly like to spend their daytime here but we can't have the dog overnight so we take them home mid-evening.

I needed a third op for bladder cancer, thankfully this closer look found nothing that needed removal but they took biopsies anyway and they gave clear results. 😀

I've been playing with boro/shakio visible mending. This is a very old (and comfy) tshirt I sleep in.

Also in my bid to save throwing stuff into landfill I made some kitchen scrubbies from double thickness old towelling and the netting bag that satsumas come in. They seem to work quite well and regularly get thrown into the dishwasher so no chance of getting smelly.

SERV as a charity mostly using bike riders, have now decided all their riders need to be advanced level, so Hubby is now doing advanced rider lessons. Apparently he has a few minor bad habits that need correcting hahaha

Now summer events for SERV are in full swing I'm often alone at weekends when he's standing in a field/fete/supermarket entrance and some of Fridays when he's out filling the van or setting up mostly with M&S (not the store) hard working local volunteers and friends. Along with others he does talks and attends presentations too.

Daughter had 10 days at Kentwell, so we go into child+dog care mode. Daughter started the first four days with O as E was staying with friends. On the Monday Hubby took E to Kentwell and brought O back to stay with us. Meanwhile the whole time R and Tilly were picked up every morning and taken home every evening, and some days she was working at Red Rose Theatre so Hubby was constant transport and I was constant cook. Love having them here. Discovered our garden isn't totally dog-proof as she got out twice! Tilly likes a lot of attention

I had a lovely catchup lunch with friends made some 23 years ago when we did the art A level course. Two students and the teacher.
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