TV Watch: Alan Bennett at 80

Yesterday evening I watched Nicholas Hytner’s interview with Alan Bennett. No great revelations, a few good anecdotes, plenty of clips from his films and plays. The programme was followed by A Chip in the Sugar, a monologue performed by Bennett himself, then one of the Talking Heads monologues: Maggie Smith wonderful in The Bed among the Lentils.

I notice that this evening BBC 4 (the only channel, as far as I’m concerned) is showing An Englishman Abroad. This is Bennett’s film about Coral Browne meeting Guy Burgess in Moscow. I remember enjoying it very much when it was first shown, although I don’t share Bennett’s sympathy for traitors. I’m rather looking forward to seeing it again.



Coral Browne and Alan Bates in An Englishman Abroad. 1983? I can’t believe it was so long ago.