Abigail's Party

There is nothing quite like a trip to the theatre, especially when it’s to watch a well-renowned play, and I was greatly looking forward to my latest visit to the Stafford Gatehouse Met Studio to see Mike Leigh’s iconic suburban situation comedy of manners, ‘Abigail’s Party’, last evening. And it certainly didn’t disappoint! The Stafford Players were once again in excellent form, delivering an outstanding and thoroughly engaging evening of theatre with an exceptionally high‑quality performance.

First presented at London’s Hampstead Theatre in April 1977 and soon to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this classic work has unquestionably stood the test of time, losing none of its impact thanks to its strong storyline and witty script. Elevated further by brilliant staging and direction, the sheer quality of this latest production spoke volumes about the expertise and commitment of Stafford’s award‑winning theatre company.

The play centres around Laurence and Beverly Moss who present themselves as the epitome of British suburban respectability - or so they would like to believe - and have invited their new neighbours, Angela and Tony, round for drinks along with Susan, whose sixteen‑year‑old daughter, Abigail, is hosting a riotous party down the road at her mother’s house from which Susan has been firmly excluded. As the alcohol begins to flow and the small talk descends into an unhealthy display of one‑upmanship, the social differences between the guests are swiftly laid bare, particularly when the simmering marital strain within Beverly and Laurence’s relationship also rises to the surface. To make matters worse, Susan’s mounting anxiety over Abigail’s party, fuelled by the relentless booming rock music, only heightens the tension which isn’t helped by the increasingly tactless remarks from Beverly and Angela, both of whom have indulged more than generously in the evening’s refreshments.

As always, the set designed and constructed by the Stafford Players team for this production was of the highest quality and perfectly in vogue for the 1970s with its bright patterns, bold colours and unmistakably retro flourishes. I particularly admired the clever way the lounge and dining areas were separated with a long sideboard providing a natural divide between the round table and four chairs on the right and a sofa with two easy chairs on the left, complemented by a well‑stocked bar at the rear. The hanging beads in the doorway to the kitchen added an extra touch of nostalgia as did the vinyl LP records being played and the various period‑appropriate pictures adorning the walls including a not-so-period print of ‘Van Gogh's Chair’, the 1888 masterpiece by the man himself.

As the house lights faded and the stage brightened to the welcoming sound of Tom Jones’s classic, ‘She’s A lady’, Beverly Moss - portrayed with impeccable comic poise and wonderfully observed mannerisms by Clare Williams - made her entrance in a long, flowing orange dress, drink and cigarette in hand, and after putting a new record on the player, glided effortlessly around the room to Donna Summer’s ‘Love To Love You Baby’. As hostess of the evening, distinct from the far more raucous festivities unfolding at Abigail’s Party a few doors away, Beverly’s social graces may have been questionable, yet Clare’s performance was anything but. She was quite superb and captured every nuance of Beverly’s brittle charm, condescending and patronising ways and steadily escalating intoxication with assured precision, crafting a portrayal that was both sharply observed and thoroughly entertaining. Her love for Demis Roussos, paired with her determined insistence on playing his classic ‘Forever and Ever’, also added further comic delight, much to Laurence’s mounting irritation and the audience’s amusement.

In complete contrast to his overbearing wife who clearly fails to understand him, Chris Harding delivered a far more restrained and quietly affecting performance as her long‑suffering henpecked husband, Laurence. A man with a genuine fondness for the cultural comforts of life, particularly a love of green olives and his treasured leather-bound collected works of Shakespeare, Laurence works long hours as an estate agent to provide for them both despite privately questioning what, if anything, they share in common. Though often sheepish and hesitant, Chris’s portrayal ensured that Laurence was no pushover. He stood his ground with quiet determination whenever conflicting opinions surfaced, particularly in his exchanges with the new neighbours, with whom he clearly felt he shared little common ground.

As the new neighbours, Shaney Swift as Angela Cooper and David Harfield as her husband Tony, both gave very meaningful performances.

Shaney brought an engaging blend of warmth, awkwardness and enthusiasm to the role. A recent arrival to the area and a nurse by profession, she clearly relished the chance to let her hair down over a drink and was all too easily swept along by Beverly’s relentless hospitality, resulting in bursts of giggling and a flurry of well‑meaning fussing around the room, much to her husband’s mounting irritation. Yet when the situation came to the crunch at the end of the piece, her medical professionalism emerged with calm authority and provided a sharply drawn contrast to her earlier social high spirits.

As different as chalk is to cheese, David offered a notably quiet and restrained performance as the newly married ex‑footballer turned computer operator. Though his early dialogue was limited, he used that time to his advantage, revealing a thoughtful command of character and a clever ability to communicate through silence, body language and reaction. He was visibly flattered by Beverly’s advances and by the time the drama began to tighten, he had demonstrated a measured, skilfully controlled portrayal that built steadily into a first‑class performance. 

As for the third guest, Abigail’s mother Susan, Andrea Keady gave an excellent portrayal. Divorced and with her former husband now remarried, she arrived slightly subdued and visibly on edge, her mind never far from the thought of what her daughter and friends might be getting up to in her home. Yet despite that nervous undercurrent, she gradually eased into the evening’s conversations, her social hesitancy softened by Beverly’s persistent hospitality. Having enjoyed more than a few drinks, her composure eventually faltered and she became quite poorly, prompting a swift dash to the cloakroom, an episode handled with just the right level of embarrassment and humour.

And if Andrea’s superb performance wasn’t impressive enough, she directed the play as well, having stepped into the role of Susan only three weeks ago due to unforeseen circumstances sadly affecting the original cast member. It was a remarkable achievement, and one that speaks volumes about her versatility and commitment.

Andrea had clearly pulled out all the stops to bring this classic work vividly to life. Her meticulous attention to detail and assured understanding of the script created an atmosphere so immersive that, at times, it felt as though we were relaxing in Laurence and Beverly’s living room ourselves, cleverly heightening the comedy, tension and social unease in exactly the right measure.

The Assistant Director was Lisa Richardson-Lewty and the play was produced by Ayesha Bari. Max Hanson-Grace was responsible for the set build, Linet Carter for the props and Donald Grant for stage management. Not that I think she was needed even once, Katharine Cotter was the prompt.

Clare Williams excelled herself as always with the excellent publicity and graphic design with original artwork by Elizabeth Welsh. I particularly liked the simple one-page programme using novel caricatures of the cast as a bright and cheerful alternative to actual photographs.

Thank you for inviting me to Abilgail’s Party and for your warm welcome and hospitality. I’m already looking forward to joining you all again for ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ in November.

Chris C Bell. Regional Representative, District 3

The role of Regional Councillor for NODA West Midlands brings with it many benefits, including the opportunity to witness a massive range of genres in relation to both shows and venues.

The Gatehouse MET Studio stage is at floor level and has seating for around 120 people. The comfortable raked seating ensures everyone has a good view whilst allowing the action on stage to remain intimate. These qualities worked particularly well for this production as we were up close for the silences, the visual expressions, the strained relationships and, eventually, the demise of a character.

The play must be set in the late 1970s; it cannot simply be 'updated' to a more modern time. Therefore, the set, costumes and props all need to ensure we are never tempted to move away from that period.

Chris has already described the set, including the lava lamp – surely the height of sophistication at the time! The same can be said of the props, with those little details that simply could not go unrecognised, not least pineapple and cheese on sticks. For those of us who remember the period, there were plenty of reminders of just how much things have changed.

The direction was good throughout. When moves were made, they had a purpose and therefore appeared natural rather than actors moving simply for the sake of it. This was particularly important in such an intimate space where every movement and expression could be seen by the audience.

The final scene was especially well staged, extracting both the tension and the gradual realisation of the circumstances. With the audience sitting so close to the action, there was nowhere for the actors to hide, and the action became every bit as important as the dialogue.

Andrea, as director, managed to get the characterisations of all five actors right on the nail, no more so than with Susan. As Chris has already highlighted, this was a role taken on by Andrea herself with just a few weeks to go until opening night. Taking on a substantial role at such short notice whilst also retaining responsibility for the overall direction of the production was no small undertaking.

The costumes cannot go unmentioned. They were simply awful – however, absolutely right for the era! They complemented the set and props perfectly and ensured there could be no doubt as to when we were. Let's just hope some of those particular fashions never become fashionable again!

Well done to everyone at Stafford Players on another enjoyable production. Thank you, as always, for the welcome and hospitality, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands.

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