Maggie Smith stars in this BBC radio adaptation of Alan Bennett's highly
acclaimed autobiographical stage play
An eccentric old lady moves into a quiet street in Camden Town. There
she remains, installed in her van in glorious self-sufficiency, until
the council instructs her to move on. Then a kind homeowner invites her
to move her van into his garden - where she stays for the next fifteen
years. This is the fascinating story of the genteel vagrant who found a
unique place in Alan Bennett's life and writing.
But the drama is as much about the author himself as Miss Shepherd. Why
did Alan Bennett let her commandeer his driveway? Was he acting out of
kindness, weakness, or hidden guilt over not spending enough time with
his own mother? Did he always subconsciously plan to exploit Miss
Shepherd for literary profit? Thought-provoking and moving, The Lady in
the Van tackles profound questions about social responsibility,
homelessness and mental illness with a lightness of touch characteristic
of Bennett the master storyteller.
With a full cast including Adrian Scarborough, Marcia Warren and Alan
Bennett, this bitter-sweet comic tale stars Maggie Smith as Miss
Shepherd.
Now a major BBC feature film, starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings.
