

Life and Beth
Alan Ayckbourn
What readers are saying
Readers are quite enthusiastic about the play, praising its emotional depth and humor, typical of Alan Bennett's writing. Many enjoy the witty script and its exploration of societal issues in a healthcare setting, noting that it feels very much like his other works. Some suggest it is best experienced live rather than through reading. However, a few critiques mention it may not reach the heights of his earlier pieces.
- What were you in life?
- I n life, as you put it, I was a schoolmaster.
The Beth, an old fashioned cradle-to-grave hospital serving a town on the edge of the Pennines, is threatened with closure as part of an NHS efficiency drive.
As Dr Valentine and Sister Gilchrist attend to the patients, a documentary crew, eager to capture its fight for survival, follows the daily struggle to find beds on the Dusty Springfield Geriatric Ward.
Meanwhile, the old people's choir, in readiness for next week's concert, is in full swing, augmented by the arrival of Mrs Maudsley, aka Pudsey Nightingale.
Alan Bennett's Allelujah !
opened at the Bridge Theatre, London, in July 2018.
With an introduction by Alan Bennett.
Allelujah! is a British comedy play written by Alan Bennett and published by Faber & Faber (2018).
Digital editions available on Amazon Kindle .
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