{"id":31086,"date":"2023-03-15T12:26:35","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T11:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1800809"},"modified":"2023-03-15T16:55:57","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T15:55:57","slug":"jennifer-saunders-on-how-allelujah-tackles-political-football-of-nhs","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/jennifer-saunders-on-how-allelujah-tackles-political-football-of-nhs\/","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Saunders on how Allelujah tackles \u201cpolitical football\u201d of NHS"},"content":{"rendered":"

“This script is drawing attention to and asking the big question \u2013 what are we going to do?” <\/p>

By Morgan Cormack\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 15 March 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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It\u2019s only a couple of days until Alan Bennett\u2019s brand new play adaptation Allelujah<\/a> hits cinemas on Friday 17th March.<\/p>\n

Based on Bennett\u2019s 2018 play of the same name, Allelujah tells the story of a geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital which is threatened with closure.<\/p>\n

The hospital decides to fight back, getting together the local community and inviting a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital\u2019s most distinguished nurse.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a story that celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients whilst paying tribute to the deep humanity of the medical staff battling with limited resources and ever-growing demand.<\/p>\n

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Bally Gill, Richard Eyre, Alan Bennett and Dame Judi Dench behind the scenes of Allelujah.<\/span><\/figcaption> Path\u00e9 UK<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com<\/strong> about the message of the script and the film generally, Jennifer Saunders (who stars as Sister Gilpin in the film) said: \u201cI think this script is drawing attention to and asking the big question \u2013 what are we going to do?<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause, you know, here\u2019s a system that is practically broken because everyone is ageing \u2013 there\u2019s more old people now than there\u2019s ever been because people are living longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saunders added: \u201cAnd you\u2019re in a system that is stretched, every part of it is stretched. We\u2019ve got to do some thinking about how, if we\u2019re going to have this huge ageing population, how are we going to structure this and it has to be structured differently.\u201d<\/p>\n