IT’S THAT time of year again and members of Dorchester Drama are rehearsing hard for their next production.

Instead of performing their usual ensemble piece, this month the amateur thespians are staging a collection of Alan Bennett’s ever-popular Talking Heads monologues.

Trevor Williams will be performing A Chip in the Sugar, in which mild- mannered, middle-aged Graham Whittaker finds life becoming complicated as his mother, with whom he still lives, reunites with an old flame.

The monologue is being directed by Anne Reeve, who helmed Dorchester Drama’s last two autumn productions, Treasure Island and A Christmas Carol. Lee Stroud will then perform A Lady of Letters, about a working class single woman who is not afraid to speak, or rather write, her mind to remedy the social ills she sees around her. She is being directed by Peter Wheeler. As well as these two major speeches, which each run for about 30 minutes, a number the cast, including newcomer Jonny White and Steve Twinn will be performing other, shorter, Bennett sketches.

Peter Wheeler, who has been a stalwart of the drama group for several years, said: “This is a new venture for us, but it is going really well.

“We were originally planning to do a Terry Pratchett play but we ran into production problems so we then started looking around for something we could put together pretty quickly. With the Talking Heads you don’t need too much complicated lighting or sets, which helps.”

Jonny White, who starred as the Dauphin Charles in Dorchester Drama’s production of The Lark, about Joan of Arc, will be narrating Alan Bennett’s famous vicar’s sermon from Beyond the Fringe.

Peter Wheeler said: “Alan Bennett is such a natural writer. When you read his words on the printed page they don’t always look brilliant, but when they are acted out they become this most amazing conversation.

“He writes really lovely prose and has a fabulous ear.”

He added: “Talking Heads is a first for us and we are very excited, really looking forward to it. The thing to remember is that because the pieces are monologues. They stand or fall on the quality of the acting unlike with an ensemble piece.

“It really is down to the individual actors.”

• Dorchester Drama’s Talking Heads can be seen at the Corn Exchange in High East Street, Dorchester from Thursday, November 10 to Saturday 12 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are £8 in advance, £9 on the door. Advance tickets are available between 10am and 12.30pm daily from the United Church bookshop in Charles Street or by calling 01305 257694.