**The Lady In The Van **parked up at Leicester Square on Tuesday afternoon, and received a decidedly warmer reception than the one given to titular character Miss Shepard by most of her acquaintances. The film sees Maggie Smith gleefully reprising the role she originated on stage.
Based on the (mostly) true story of the indigent old lady who Alan Bennett allowed to live in his driveway for three weeks that turned into fifteen years, this heartwarming film of extremely British sensibilities will stand as the definitive edition of a tale already told in diaries, as a play, and on radio.
The latest in a long tradition of collaborations between writer Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner, **The Lady in the Van **reunites much of the cast of The History Boys in a variety of supporting roles (Frances de la Tour as a posh neighbour, James Corden as a market trader, Sacha Dhawan as a doctor), while Alex Jennings does double duty as twin aspects of Bennett himself, providing a quarrelsome dual perspective of the film’s events from Bennett the writer and Bennett the man.
“It is a bit weird,” said Alex Jennings of playing a friend on film. “It’s weird for both of us, I think… but he’s always been very, very encouraging and supportive of me doing it, and I suppose having been given approval enables me to do it. Once you get the glasses on, and the tie, and the jumper, you’re halfway there.”
**Empire **asked Alan Bennett what Miss Shepard would think of being the subject of a film. “She had a very high opinion of herself and her own importance in the world,” he said. “She had her own political party. There were only five members of it, but she regarded herself as probably in line for being the next Prime Minister… She would think it only right that she was on film.”
The Lady In The Van also stars Roger Allam and Jim Broadbent, and drives into UK cinemas on November 13.
*Reporting by Toni Flatley, with thanks to Go Think Big and O2. For amazing work opportunities go to Go Think Big.co.uk. *