Abigail's Party

Abigail’s Party is the ‘cheese and pineapple’ play written by Mike Leigh. Set in the suburban middle class of the 1970s using superb observational humour to evoke a cringingly astute depiction of desperate social aspiration, with its materialism and snobbery. At its centre, Rhiann Oxley played Beverley, doggedly manipulating the evening to focus on herself. She was sexy, sneaky, and overbearing, whilst always doing ‘the right thing’: out of her depth in this middle-class world but determined to own it, even as it collapsed around her. Hostess Beverly breezed into the sitting room of her house wearing the most fabulous full-length dress, because for her it’s all about appearance. Rhiann, as Beverley took control of everything and talked and behaved in what she imagined to be the classiest of manners, but of course, came across as being entirely false. The play largely revolved around her, and she certainly kept this soiree alive, not least with plenty of gin and Bacardi. Her long-suffering, estate-agent husband, Laurence, played by Richard Barran was anything but a party animal and he clearly displayed his reluctance to participate in the fun. He was socially awkward and persisted in the investigative questioning of his guests’ likes, dislikes and knowledge to establish his cultural superiority. His performance along with that of Julie McGovern as Susan, were outstanding.

The marital tensions between the two surfaced from time in embarrassing moments as they did with the other couple. Although a nurse, Angela, played by Ali Sykes, appeared neither bright nor subtle and managed to show the cogs turning in Angela’s head to no avail as she spurted out inappropriate and dumb observations, much to the annoyance of her husband Tony, played by Peter Coates, who had few words in this role which enabled the character to speak volumes, who’s ‘not violent. Just a bit nasty’.

Seated, often uncomfortably, on the ‘real leather’ sofa was Susan, played by Julie McGovern who simply by facial expression alone keeps the audience in hysterics. It is her daughter, Abigail, who is having a party down the street and Susan has left her house so as not to stand in the way of the kids having fun. Julie captured to a tee a mother’s anxiety at such a time combined with the unease of being in a social setting to which she is not accustomed, any more than she is to being plied with gin.

The play was well directed by Carl Murray and Co director Johnnie Taylor who brought out some good individual characters on stage. My only criticism would be at times the sound could have been better balanced with the dialogue on stage.

However, an excellent and enjoyable evening and well done to both the production team and cast.  

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