National treasure Alan Bennett takes a gentle swipe at that other NT – The National Trust –in his new comedy, People, which has just opened at the NT (National Theatre).
You have to wonder what Bennett has against this august body’s efforts to preserve the past (Trust not Theatre) for he visited a similar theme in his earlier work, Enjoy, where a back-to-back terraced house, complete with mad old biddy, became a living museum.
In People we’ve gone upmarket. We’re in the shabby splendour of a South Yorks stately pile which has seen better days. The Stacpooles have been in residence since 1465 and now the present incumbents, the dour and withering Lady Dottie, and her constant companion, Iris, are down to their last farthing.
The house creaks from the former mine workings which have left the foundations on shaky ground, the roof leaks, there’s no heating and the two old dears are in danger of crumbling away along with the Adams’ fireplaces and Chippendale furniture.
Their only hope is to gift the house to the NT – something Dottie’s clerical sister has been pushing for – but that would involve the reclusive couple having the great unwashed (the public) invade their cloistered lives.
For a moment there appears to be a couple of irons in the fire – including using the old place as a location for porn movies – but the former 60s model and her ever loving chum face losing the only home they’ve ever known.
There are some great moments of classic Bennett humour including the discovery that the house harbours a collection of celebrity antique wee. The scenes where a film crew move in to shoot a dirty flick is pure farce and splendidly done (NT members one and all won’t be offended).
Bennett favourite Frances De La Tour gets some cracking lines which often bring home that, what is one person’s day out at a heritage site, is the invasion by strangers of another’s family home.
On hearing how pleased the NT is at the chance of getting their hands on the house Lady D declares: “One doesn’t want gratitude, one wants a non-arctic bathroom!”
Linda Bassett (as Iris) is endearing. She may come over as being a little pickled but there’s more to her than first appears. There are a couple of great cameos from Peter Egan (overacting and loving it) as a porn producer and the wonderful Nicholas Le Prevost as the posho NT bod.
For those of you who can’t get tickets – and it’s often impossible with an AB production at the NT – then put March 21 in your diaries for that’s when the comedy comes to Leighton Buzzard Theatre as part of the innovative National Theatre Live initiative.
While The Royal Court has opened Jez Butterworth’s new play, The River, only to patrons able to queue on the day for tickets – limiting the audience almost entirely to Londoners – the NT’s great scheme sees its major shows streamed live into venues around the world giving theatre fans a chance to see the country’s best in the comfort of their local cinema or theatre.
Before People you can enjoy John Lithgow in Pinero’s Victorian farce, The Magistrate, which will be shown at Leighton Theatre on January 17.
If you can’t wait until then People runs in the NT’s Lyttelton Theatre until April 2. For information and ticket availability call the box office 020 7452 3000 or go visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
ANNE COX