"A Cream Cracker Under The Settee" is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett in 1987 for television, as part of his Talking Heads series for the BBC.
The series became very popular, moving onto BBC Radio, international theatre, becoming one of the best-selling audio book releases of all time and included as part of both the A-level and GCSE English syllabus.
It is assumed by the situation, and by the fact that the conclusions to Bennett's plays are typically bleak, that Doris later dies.
The juxtaposition of humour and sadness is used frequently by Bennett, as it is in many of the Talking Heads monologues to great effect.
Issues such as treatment of the aged, growing old and life choices are frequently discussed throughout the monologue.