Bennett’s Habit Of Art in North West debut

The Habit of Art – Alan Bennett’s first new play since The History Boys, which has previously played at the National Theatre tours to the Lowry in October. The play examines the stormy relationship between Benjamin Britten and WH Auden, imagining a meeting between the former friends, 25 years after they last saw each other, in which they are “observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station.”

After a sell-out success in London, Alan Bennett’s latest play comes to The Lowry. The Habit of Art looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, in an imagined meeting and reflects on growing old, creativity and inspiration, and on persisting when all passion’s spent; ultimately on the habit of art.

The Lowry has previously housed Bennett’s The History Boys and Habeas Corpus, as well as the tour of his hit revival Enjoy, starring Alison Steadman. 

The Habit Of Art stars Desmond Barrit as WH Auden and Malcolm Sinclair as Benjamin Britten and runs at the Lowry from 5 – 9 October.