Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh on tour

MK Theatre 

Take a step back in time to the 70's in Mike Leigh's classic play - Abigail's Party now on tour.

This quick, witty and brilliantly written, Abigail's Party is a story of bored house wife Beverly, played by the totally fantastic Hannah Waterman - who throws a party for her newly moved in neighbours Angela (Katie Lightfoot) and her husband Tony (Samuel James).

Add a newly divorced Sue (Emily Raymond) from across the road who's escaping her house which has been taken over by her teenage daughter, Abigail.  Sue sits uncomfortably while Beverly plays the "hostess with the mostess", plying Sue with copious amounts of gin and tonic and the 70's favorite cheese and pineapple chunks on little sticks stuck in a tin foil covered melon!

Waterman is amazing on stage, she plays the part to a T! Busty, bubbly and feisty - the party really gets going when her totally stressed husband Laurence (Martin Marquez) returns from work, Beverly puts on a Demis Roussos record and gets everyone to dance..."you can't beat a bit of Demis, you know what I mean?" - what unfolds is so funny, it will make you cry with laughter and then stops you dead in your tracks...this comedy has some really intense moments.

Abigail's Party portrays that not all that glitters is gold - and you can't judge a book by its pristine cover.  It reveals bored marriages, sexually frustrated wives and over stretched relationships.  Leigh shows that no relationship is perfect but that when push comes to shove and something drastic happens, you realise just what your partner means to you.

The set is authentic, the cast is brilliant and the story very strong - Abigail's Party is a great night's entertainment!

Enjoy...

Lily B x