The bar was already set at an unbeatable height for Abigail’s Party, the Mike Leigh satire on the tastes and aspirations of the middle classes, but that is no reason for all those actors that followed its 1977 debut not to continue taking theatregoers to the party, writes Michael Holland.
On arrival at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre a cheese and pineapple hedgehog was sitting on the bar to get us in to the mood. In the auditorium the first strains of ‘Oooooh, love to love you, Baby’ let us know that Beverley was out-out and in the mood for drinking and dancing as she welcomed her new neighbours Ange and Tone into her abode. Her husband, estate agent Laurence has some work to finish off, plus go out again to pick up house keys.
When the neighbours turn up, Beverley turns up the oneupmanship on Ange and turns on the flirting for monosyllabic Tony. She doesn’t need much time to get across the fact that her house is bigger, and their Escort is not as good as Laurence’s Mini. She makes drinks and offers cigarettes from her onyx cigarette box, and lights them with her onyx lighter, all of which have their specific place on her onyx table.
We quickly realise Beverley is bored. Bored with her husband working too many hours, bored with cooking when you can get a pizza out of the freezer, and bored with being a kept housewife who can just ask for a new hairdo or new dress and the money would be there. Every conversation she starts is for the purpose of trumping others in the conversation. Beverley is not bad, though, just insensitive.
Ange is excited about moving into the street, while her husband Tony doesn’t look happy that he had to attend this meet-the-neighbours party. Laurence has another antacid tablet.
Quiet guest Sue arrives looking very nervous about her daughter having a party, the throomp-throomp of the bass can be heard throughout the length of the play. Her anxiety is heightened when everyone seems to have a horror story about teenage parties. She brings a bottle of red for the hostess who promptly puts it in the fridge, eliciting the first big laugh of the evening from an audience who perhaps do not realise Mike Leigh was holding up a mirror to them.
Conversation drifts round to Sue’s divorce three years ago, which, combined with the alcohol being drunk seems to set off revelations of domestic violence from Angela. The couples start bitching about their respective partners. Beverley puts José Feliciano on and dances alone. Sexily. For Tony. Laurence jumps up and turns it off.
More drink and Beverley flirts even more with Tony who appears to be susceptible to her amorous advances; confirmed when they begin bumping and grinding with each other as Angela busies herself with putting hula-hoops on each finger, and Laurence and Sue dance more sedately.
As the alcohol intake rises so the arguments get more spiteful. Before much longer it is plainly obvious the Alpha Woman is attracting the Alpha Male right before the eyes of their partners. Enough is enough for the overworked, over-nagged Laurence and his heart packs up.
Angela, a nurse, performs CPR; Beverley runs to Tony for a consoling hug, and Sue calls for an ambulance.
London Classic Theatre has brought back another great play and kept very close to the original. More so, because Leigh has pretty much described every character and piece of furniture in the script, as well as every bite of the 1970s snacks. And this is the ideal cast to bring Leigh’s text to life: Rebecca Birch channels both Alison Steadman and Catherine Tate in her Beverley; Jo Castleton’s Sue is a bundle of nerves, George Readshaw’s Tony has evil behind those eyes, Tom Richardson will have a heart attack if he doesn’t slow his Laurence down, and we all want to Sellotape Alice De-Warrenne’s mouth up.
Abigail’s Party has become a classic because of the impact it had in the late 70s, though comes across as quite tame now and newcomers to the play would probably not see what all the fuss was about. But that is no reason to cut the iconic Demis Roussos scene. That is the first name people mention after hearing Abigail’s Party.
Nevertheless, this superb troupe of actors will be delivering joy by the glass on their UK and Ireland tour.
Churchill Theatre, High Sreet, Bromley, BR1 3HA until 22nd April. Times: 7.30pm; Thur & Sat matinees 2.30pm.
Admission: £15 – £32.
Booking: 0343 310 0020 – www.churchilltheatre.co.uk
Tour details: www.londonclassictheatre.co.uk
