Bed Among the Lentils - 2016 Performances

Paul Rapsey presented “Bed Among the Lentils”, the award winning script by British playwright Alan Bennett in various venues in Ontario, Nova Scotia and England in 2016. The performances were a resounding success.

Paul returned to his first passion of acting after retiring from a thirty-year career in social justice law in 2015. During the 1970s he performed in many genres including summer stock, childrens' theatre, avant garde, classical theatre and mime. He gave up his professional theatre memberships (ACTRA and Equity) in 1995 when law seemed to offer him all the theatrics he needed at the time. He has now chosen to only undertake roles that challenge his mind and his skills, and that also challenge society’s stereotypes. He prefers simple sets and relies on the power of a playwright’s words and the engagement of an audience’s imagination to create vital characters and mood.

The play is a one–hour monologue written by Mr. Bennett in 1987 as a screen play for the BBC series “Talking Heads”. It is the story in five acts of Susan, a disaffected Vicar’s wife in the north of England. Susan faces life with passive aggression. She is unhappy in her relationship with her ambitious and self-centred husband, with her role in the church community and the people who impose on her. She touches upon clandestine moments of passion and intellectual stimulation, but retreats to mediocrity, at least temporarily.  The story touches on dysfunctional relationships, racism, sexism, religious faith, integrity, substance abuse and despair, but it does so with humour and poise.

Paul admits to having been too old for this role by 15 or more years, too heavy by 50 or more pounds, and being a man, also admits to various other obvious physiological shortcomings. However, although the audience would see a man walk onto the stage, he hoped they would soon perceive Susan. That is the actor’s art. Indeed, the accolades he received clearly indicate they did. This is a rehearsal video of Scenes 1 & 2 of the play: Lentils - Scenes 1 & 2.

“Bed Among the Lentils” was presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.