The Lady In The Van is a true story by British playwright Alan Bennett, whose works include The History Boys, and The Madness of King George, (both made into successful films). He writes from his life, and so it is with this odd story of an eccentric elderly woman who lived in her van.
She calls herself Miss Shepherd, and at nearly six-foot with a greasy raincoat, golf hat, and carpet slippers, she is not easy to miss. Hats were always a feature. The neighbours put up with her parking the van she lived in on their suburban street in Camden Town, London - as long as it is not in front of their house.
Alan is a kind man who befriends her, picking up supplies if she is sick or defending her van from teens and vandals. Barely a day goes by when she is not hassled. It seems less trouble to invite her van onto the drive in front of his house, just until she gets herself together.
She does just that and stays for the next fifteen years. He supports her by running a line out to power a heater, and allows emergency use of his loo. How she manages meals and bathroom duties inside the van remains a mystery, not to even consider laundry, which Miss Shepherd does not. As the postman says "the smell sometimes knocks you back a bit."
In her sixties with mental challenges, she has lived in a van since 1965, making a small income selling pencils on the street. Now, with a permanent address, she is granted full social security and all its allowances, and sometimes, will allow a worker to lend a hand. Alan is adamant he is not her official caregiver.
How he put up with the van overflowing with trash into his garden, and the accompanying smell is never really looked into. This is written as it happened, in the form of a personal diary. Although she often manipulates you into thinking help is your idea, with never a thank you, there are moments where you can see the gentler side of her life, and Alan is much too kind to evict her or have authorities to take her away.
This was first written in 1989 directly from his diaries, and I found reading it to be authentic and generous, dealing only with the two of them over the years. It then became a stage play in with Maggie Smith in 1999, with BBC radio adaptation, where he may have enlarged the characters. The hit film was made in 2015, again starring Maggie Smith, which I found only retained the central concept of 'lady and van' - to it he adds the neighbours, an elderly mother, boyfriends, trips to the seaside, a legal matter to evade, and to the character of Alan Bennett the concept of one who writes and one who lives. All interesting side diversions to pad the story for film, especially over the thirty year history of the original novel, but not holding a candle to the authentic diary experience. The novel states a true story, the others a mostly true story.
This novella is really touching, and recommended as a reminder to look treat others with respect and kindness.
1989 / Tradeback / 100 pages
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