SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

A mate gave me a couple of CD's last weekend. Artists oft have a favoured model, so Bennett's spoken word sounds best Male: Him Female: Thora HirdHis intro's to a couple of pieces on the CD's are fascinating in themselves.In one, he touches on her memorable performance in John Schlesinger's 1962 Film 'A Kind of Loving'"The scripted line written for Thora was ".. YOU FILTHY DISGUSTING PIG..".However the scene took longer to film with a couple of being sick etc and cover a lot of action so Schlesinger asked Thora Hird to improvise which was alien to her. Her job was to know lines and faithfully repeat them.They kept the cameras rolling as she came out with as many variations of her 4 scripted words as she could.This captured a memorable performance part made of Thora's unease and frustration at her own lack of imagination.."The CD's form the spoken part of the DVD's of his works Talking Heads.I've added a youtube free to listen extract from the CD 'Alan & Thora' which is what I've just listened to. There are a sprinkling of Leeds references via Bennett (Thora was virtually born on stage in Morecambe).(warning - may make some folks weepy).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUwY0iXX ... F66Bennett also mentions that Thora was her chirpy self in real life and a true pro right to the end.I had thought she appeared in Beiderbecke but it was actually Beryl Reid.    

Ah! The old Beryl Reid / Irene Handl / Thora Hird conundrum! Were they all the same woman? More to the point which one was in 'Metal Mickey'?

Twas Irene Handl, jon.Thanks for the link Jogon, I'm a big fan of Alan B

Hi CaronI seemed to "have something in my eye" (as blokes do) from 19:50 on that monologue, hard to believe Thora's just acting.On the CD Alan B also recalls amusing anecdotes from her final recordings when her daughter was present, better able to cajole and tell off her mum to get the best out of her.Thora was getting confused towards the end and rang her daughter from her London flat.TH- "I'm on the set of this film with John Wayne and he's gone off and left me all on my own"TH's Daughter - "No mother you're in the flat"TH- " I'm not, it's the set of a film only he's etc etc"TH's Daughter - "Go look out of the window, is it the Mews where the flat is?"TH - "Well it look's like the Mews...........but they can do wonders with stage sets and scenery these days you know"

Thora certainly delivered Alan Bennett's lines brilliantly. But then she delivered Victoria Wood's lines brilliantly in "Pat and Margaret" when her son in the piece - Duncan Preston says he and Margaret have had a wonderful sex life on her bed, Thora's memorable line is "not on the eiderdown" I think Victoria owes a lot to Alan Bennett. Tallking Heads is brilliant. "A Chip in the Sugar" with Alan Bennett himself is the best IMO.Thinking of Thora, she was the daughter of the manager of a theatre in Morecambe, and the local business lady used to take her clients in an alley by the side of the theatre. One night one of the clients asked "why do you keep nodding your head Nellie?" to which she replied "you've got my scarf caught inside"

majorhoundii wrote: ...... "A Chip in the Sugar" with Alan Bennett himself is the best IMO....... "I love you too Mother. Give us your teeth. I'll swill 'em."

Not Alan B but Thora Hird and Pete Postlethwaite in, "Lost for Words".... reduces me to tears every time I watch it.So proud to be a "Northerner" when it comes to brilliant acting!