Abigail's Party Review
- therevueuk
- Oct 11, 2024
- 2 min read
A talented cast hit home with this hilarious production of Mike Leigh's classic play.
The history of Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party is a unique and interesting story. The original cast members workshopped their characters in 10 weeks worth of improvisation sessions, and brought many aspects of their own lives to their roles. Writer Mike Leigh is credited as 'devisor and director' in this 1977 classic as he would often notate scenes as his cast were improvising them.
With big boots to fill, Nadia Fall directs a hilarious new production starring Tamzin Outhwaite as the radiant host Beverley who, along with her husband Laurence (Kevin Bishop), is throwing a small gathering for her new neighbours Angela and Tony (Ashna Rabheru and Omar Malik) and Sue (Pandora Colin), who's daughter Abigail is throwing a party of her own.
Fall has the inexorable ability to eek a laugh out of every moment from her cast and Leigh's classic text. Lines that are one word long, silences and glances, this production feels laugh-a-minute and it's clear the cast and lavishing in the fun that they, and we, are having.
It must be hard to take on a role so rooted in another actor's improvisation, and still deliver a real albeit ridiculous portrayal. It feels as though Fall has leant on the caricature-ness of these roles, to combat this. Outhwaite, as Beverley, taking on the role of perfect host with hilarious line readings such as the repeated "Come through..." and Malik's Tony feels introverted and stifled with his continuous short lines, often no more than a "Ta". When the caricatures slip, we see glimmers of real genius, particularly from Outhwaite and Colin who bring true heart to their characters, but I wonder if it's a directorial choice or truly just a mammoth script that often sits these portrayals in a world above realism. A shoutout must be made for Bishop, though, who delivers a truly nuanced performance of Laurence, diverting from the obvious and finding a true love for Beverley that could easily be missed from the text.
Fall makes a few other interesting choices too, starting Act 2 off with a strobe sequence of Beverley controlling the guests of her party is an non-subtle insight to how Beverley wants her party to be run. Whether or not this was a necessary addition is up to audience discretion, perhaps. But she delivers effortlessly in her understanding of people, timing, and tension. The humour never falters, the pace never drops as we march through this comedy and into tragedy. Fall has an incredible ability to understand the impact of every beat in a script, and her changing of intentions by casting South Asian actors Rabheru and Malik is a genius reflection of British society.
Credit must also be given to Peter McKintosh's set and Mary Charlton's costumes, both of which plant us firmly in the heart of the 1970's and offer as much nostalgia as Sue's Pomagne or a chilled beaujolais.
What Mike Leigh sets up, Nadia Fall and her talented cast run with and whilst moments of the characterisations feel slightly unrealistic, this production of Abigail's Party is undoubtedly very, very funny.
Abigail's Party runs at Theatre Royal Stratford East until October 12th. Tickets can be purchased direct through the theatre.