An Evening with Alan Bennett
Prince of Wales, London W1
Alan Bennett and Michael Palin are north Londoners and, last Sunday, they did a neighbourly deed, performing in a fund-raising evening towards the £28 million overhaul of the Roundhouse, their local theatre. The cause is great: the reinvented theatre (originally a steam-engine repair building) looks set to become a spectacular performance space as well as a 'creative centre' where 10,000 young people every year will receive an apprenticeship in the arts. But Roundhouse Trust is still £3m off target.
In the first half, Bennett, described by Palin as 'Britain's most popular recluse' lived up to the tag, sheltering behind his published writing (mainly diaries).
But in the second, both men risked answering audience questions. So we learned that Alan Bennett worries about falling off his bicycle, finds it hard to celebrate when he hears of other people's success and is nostalgic about Cambridge - though he was never at university there.
Curious how the more inessential the fact, the more it lingers: Bennett will not shop for pre-packaged meals at Marks & Spencer. Instead, he shops for loose ingredients there and can cook four dishes (he described the dubiously named Chicken 'Catchidoro' - a simple procedure involving courgettes).
And then Bennett shared with us his morose contentment in seniority: he is glad not to have to be young again.
P.S. Michael Palin's favourite M&S ready meal is smoked mackerel with pepper.
