Abigail's Party

Abigail's Party photos

Abigail's Party description

Meet Beverly. Along with her husband Laurence she’s the host of a party to welcome new people to the street. But when the booze starts flowing the gathering soon spirals into a nightmare of inappropriate flirting and marital conflict.

Mike Leigh’s all-time classic continues to delight. Set against the backdrop of a 1970s suburban home, this brilliant sitcom of manners unfolds into a wonderful satire taking the mickey out of on the aspirations and tastes of Britain’s new middle class.

Expect sniping and bickering, drunken dancing, social climbing, cringe-worthy embarrassment and snobbery, all set against a party backdrop where the bizarre ‘70s party snack made from chunks of cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks holds sway.

The evening ultimately comes to an unexpected and tragic end, a shocker that has made Leigh’s tragic-comic exploration of class, materialism, and sexual tension in 1970s England a hugely popular modern classic. Make your way to the Stratford East theatre to see Tamsin Outhwaite and Kevin Bishop in starring roles.

A host of great actors nail this vintage Mike Leigh masterpiece

Tamzin Outhwaite, loved for her work on EastEnders and New Tricks, stars as Beverley. This is her first time on the West End stage since the West End revival of Noises Off. She has also delighted theatre audiences in Sweet Charity, Boeing Boeing, Jamie Lloyd’s The Seagull, How the Other Half Loves, Stepping Out, Di & Viv & Rose, Breeders, and Grease.

Comedy actor Kevin Bishop (Inside No. 9, The Kevin Bishop Show) plays her other half Laurence, and Pandora Colin (Dear Octopus, Film Stars Don’t Die) plays Susan. Omar Malik (The Tower S3, My Beautiful Launderette) is Tony and Ashna Rabheru (Top Girls, Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths, The Ballad of Renegade Nell) is Angela.

A team of talented creatives brings the play to life

The production is directed by Stratford East Artistic Director Nadia Fall, her final show at the venue. The creative team also includes Peter McKintosh as set and costume designer, Howard Harrison as lighting designer, Alexandra Faye Braithwaite as sound designer, and James Cousins as movement director. Amy Ball is responsible for casting, Lily Dyble is the as assistant director and Mary Charlton the costume supervisor. Lizzie Frankl and Edie Fitt-Martin from Propworks London are the props supervisors.

Starring

Jill Halfpenny, Natalie Casey, Joe Absolom, Susannah Harker

Playing at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, E15 1BN GB (venue info)

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