7 Things That Are Everything This Week

Downton Abbeymay be ending, but Maggie Smith is as busy as ever. And her latest film, The Lady in the Van, is a far cry from her role as the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Here, Smith portrays the real-life character of Mary Shepherd, an elderly homeless woman who lives in a van. The screenwriter, Alan Bennett, recounts the story of getting to know Bennett, whose vehicular abode was parked at the end of his driveway in the Camden Town section of London. Over time, he learns of her remarkable past as a gifted pianist who ran into a string of misfortunes. Formerly an acclaimed West End play, the story has been adapted into a film, which is in theaters this weekend.