A Cream Cracker under the Settee

A Cream Cracker Under The Settee is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett in 1987 for television, as part of his Talking Heads series for the BBC. The series became very popular, moving onto BBC Radio, international theatre, becoming one of the best-selling audio book releases of all time and included as part of both the A-level and GCSE English syllabus [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/comedy/progpages/talkingheads.shtml BBC 7 - Comedy - Talking Heads ] ] .

Storyline

A Cream Cracker under the Settee is played out as a monologue by Doris (Thora Hird), a seventy-five year old woman, following her fall from the buffet (stool). Her disapproval of home-help, Zulema's cleaning leads her to attempt to clean a picture of her and Wilfred, her late husband, and subsequently her fall. Her position, now of suffering from a "nummy" leg, gives her natural desire to find help. Thus she moves from her position on a chair, to the floor near where she fell, and finally to the door of her front house. An exhausted Doris drags herself back to the living room after failing to get help from the front door. Eventually she hears the voice of a policeman, enquiring as to why her home lights are off. Instead of asking for his help she lets him leave after telling him she was napping. It is assumed by the situation and by the fact that the conclusions to Bennett's plays are typically bleak, Is thought that Doris later dies. Throughout the monologue she discusses past issues and events in her life, characters and situations such as the death of her baby, the possible implication of her obsessive cleaning. Although gives no evidence that Doris suffers from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Use of juxtaposition of humour and sadness is used frequently by Alan Bennett, as it is in many of the Talking Heads monologues to great effect. Such effects include the interaction of passing time. The televised monologue gives the impression of a dark evening as the end of her life is suggested; the passing of time reflecting the passing of her life. further more the moving from her comfy position of her settee indicates possibly the movement from a secure and comfy position of life, the everyday occurrences Doris does not have. Issues such as treatment of the aged, growing old and life choices are constantly discussed throughout the monologue.

Title

This is cool for IB English 2008: The title "A Cream Cracker under the Settee" is an indication of her demise that is suggested throughout the monologue, her fascination and child like distraction of trivial events. The interaction with the "Cream Cracker" occurs as she is sitting on the floor after trying to move, the cream cracker is significant due to the rebellious nature that is revealed when Doris thinks of framing Zulema for the neglect of her job. This can be interpreted as "Artless narration" as she thinks differently from reality, really Doris is not as rebellious as she suggests when she finds the cream cracker; shown in the opening of the monologue as Doris talks of obeying Zulema's orders.As a cause of this, Doris ends up alone in her house that she has lived in with Wilfred(Husband)who is now deceased, on the floor, dying.

"Artless Narration"

Coined by Alan Bennett, Artless narration is the indirect revealing of a characteristic that is not always realised by the speaker. Some times these are exaggerated truths or can be entirely false.

See also

*Talking Heads (series)
*Alan Bennett
* English A-level and GCSE's

References