It's part of a Bennett season in the home city of one of our most erudite national treasures. And, since Leeds is around the half way point between my home in Nottingham and theirs in my home village of Marske, on the Cleveland coast I jumped at the chance of a catch up and this affectionate 'home-age'.
It was my Bennett stage 'debut' so I didnt know what to expect - certainly not the nasty fall on the slippery, sodden Leeds pavement I had trying to get from my car to the theatre!! But I was buoyed up by the excitement of seeing no less than Alison Steadman in the ladies (Ooh Mr Bennett!) as I frantically tried to dry off my trousers' dripping, moss-coated rear end with paper towels before curtain up (more Mr Bean than Mr Bennett).
I was beginning to think the whole day was fated to failure when we took our seats in the lovely bright, modern and yet intimate Courtyard Theatre. A perfect setting for the intimate memories and observations of childhood and the author's parents final years - told in Hymn and Cocktail Sticks.
We were treated to Hymn a half-hour first act of Bennett observations on the childhood violin lessons and the parent-son relationships that were to set the chorus , I suppose, for his life.
This first act was, if I am honest, a little slow - though I felt churlish and unsophisticated feeling slightly irked by the lack of pace. We guessed it was constructed this way to showcase the accomplished musical performances or a live string quartet.
It took remarkably little make-up and costume to transform the still youthful Reece Dinsdale into a convincing Alan Bennett (the author himself was appearing for An Audience the next day) and his accent, intonation and expression were all delightfully convincing.
But it wasnt until we got to Cocktail Sticks which explores Alan's relationship with his parents during his early and their latter years that the pace and the experience really took off.
Moving, hilarious, affectionate and disparaging, it was a drive-by account of growing up in a long-gone era that we could all associate with.
We explore his mother's doomed social aspirations - her dreams of hosting gatherings with cock-tails (the emphasis always in the wrong place), her depression, his father's lack of aspirations, early sexual encounters (or near misses) and he pokes fun mercilessly at himself throughout.
It was a joyous, funny, delightful observation on the love and wonder that lie in the 'ordinary' which showcased some fabulous acting talent - Reece Dinsdale was superb and the supporting cast adept and delightful.
But it's the dialogue (and frequent monologues) that, quite rightly, deserve the accolades. I can't wait to go back for more!
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