Abigail's Party
Little Theatre Company
10-14 May 2016
The Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
Little Theatre Company
10-14 May 2016
The Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
Mike Leigh's now somewhat iconic play, Abigail's Party, is being performed by the Little Theatre Company this week at The Dixon Studio.
The original production opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre and was also a Play for Today for the BBC.
With half of the LTC cast having been involved in their last show, Legally Blonde, this production has been rehearsed in just 4 weeks but you really wouldn't know. In fact, it is testament to the cast's professionalism that they performed as well as they did, with a first night audience attended by a few rather, shall be say, 'rowdy' patrons, who didn't think it untoward to shout out and get up and go to the toilet during the performance; and in one instance return from the toilet to their seat by walking in front of the audience, across the stage and joining in during a scene where one of the characters was dancing! I won't dwell on these instances (there were a few more during the interval) but suffice to say that Lianne Larthe (Beverly), in particular as well as the rest of the cast have gone up highly in my, and I'm sure the rest of the audience's, estimations, by demonstrating in great showmanship just how the show must go on.
Despite the title of the play, we never actually see Abigail, who is the 15 year old daughter of Beverly and Laurence's neighbour, Sue. Set in 1970s North London, Beverly has invited her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, over for drinks to their middle class suburban home. She has also asked her nervous divorced neighbour, Sue, because Abigail, is holding a party at her house. Beverly's estate agent husband, Laurence, comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive which puts Beverly, who is obviously keen to make an impression with her guests, on edge. The gathering starts off in that stiff insensitive British middle class way, where people who do not know each other can behave rather awkwardly but as Beverly plies the guests with alcohol and cigarettes, Demis Roussos, Donna Summer, cheese and pineapple sticks and nuts, the evening descends into a spiral of marital bickering, drunkenness and debauchery.
The risk with taking on this play is that audiences will usually be all too familiar with the original production which starred Alison Steadman as Beverly. The challenge is whether the director goes for an almost carbon copy of the original or whether they put their own mark on it in some form. Director, Andy Gourley, has created a production, I feel, that is true to what audiences want. It's hard to create new characters from a piece of theatre that was completely improvised over months and months of rehearsals and knowing that what came from that original production proved to be hugely successful. You can't really mess with that and I think it would be a brave person who tried.
Lianne Larthe has clearly done her homework as Beverly and does a fabulous job, as do all the other members of the cast. There is always the possibility that the actress playing this part can over-do the characterisation but Lianne played it well without going over the top. Jamie Redgate as Beverly's snobby, henpecked husband did a solid job with the part of Laurence.
I loved Caris Young as the ever optimistic and slightly tactless neighbour, Angela, with a great line referring to her husband Tony, underplayed nicely by Julian Cottee, "No, he's not violent. Just a bit nasty. Like, the other day, he said to me, he'd like to sellotape my mouth. And that's not very nice, is it?"
Another wonderfully played performance is from Sarah Pettican as Sue, who through nervous politeness and not being able to refuse Beverly's constant offers of gin and tonic and nibbles throughout the evening, eventually becomes rather ill. You can truly feel her pain at being in such an uncomfortable position.
The appeal of this play is that we can almost all identify with the characters - we feel that we know these people and this brings a shocking realness to what we are seeing, despite the fact that we are quite often laughing.
With a great looking set which is perfect for the 1970s period, together with some authentic props thanks to Kim Newcombe, the audience - who literally have their feet on the living room carpet - are really encapsulated into all the action taking place. Unfortunately, because of this, there are a few problems in some areas of the auditorium in being able to see some of the actors, which is a shame.
However, anyone who is an Abigail's Party fan, as I am, won't be disappointed with Little Theatre Company's production, which as the week goes on will just get better and better and hopefully attract the type of audience member who appreciates just how much hard work these actors put in to create these shows. When you go though, just make sure you pop to the loo before it starts and unlike Beverly and the gang, go easy on the gin & tonic.
The original production opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre and was also a Play for Today for the BBC.
With half of the LTC cast having been involved in their last show, Legally Blonde, this production has been rehearsed in just 4 weeks but you really wouldn't know. In fact, it is testament to the cast's professionalism that they performed as well as they did, with a first night audience attended by a few rather, shall be say, 'rowdy' patrons, who didn't think it untoward to shout out and get up and go to the toilet during the performance; and in one instance return from the toilet to their seat by walking in front of the audience, across the stage and joining in during a scene where one of the characters was dancing! I won't dwell on these instances (there were a few more during the interval) but suffice to say that Lianne Larthe (Beverly), in particular as well as the rest of the cast have gone up highly in my, and I'm sure the rest of the audience's, estimations, by demonstrating in great showmanship just how the show must go on.
Despite the title of the play, we never actually see Abigail, who is the 15 year old daughter of Beverly and Laurence's neighbour, Sue. Set in 1970s North London, Beverly has invited her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, over for drinks to their middle class suburban home. She has also asked her nervous divorced neighbour, Sue, because Abigail, is holding a party at her house. Beverly's estate agent husband, Laurence, comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive which puts Beverly, who is obviously keen to make an impression with her guests, on edge. The gathering starts off in that stiff insensitive British middle class way, where people who do not know each other can behave rather awkwardly but as Beverly plies the guests with alcohol and cigarettes, Demis Roussos, Donna Summer, cheese and pineapple sticks and nuts, the evening descends into a spiral of marital bickering, drunkenness and debauchery.
The risk with taking on this play is that audiences will usually be all too familiar with the original production which starred Alison Steadman as Beverly. The challenge is whether the director goes for an almost carbon copy of the original or whether they put their own mark on it in some form. Director, Andy Gourley, has created a production, I feel, that is true to what audiences want. It's hard to create new characters from a piece of theatre that was completely improvised over months and months of rehearsals and knowing that what came from that original production proved to be hugely successful. You can't really mess with that and I think it would be a brave person who tried.
Lianne Larthe has clearly done her homework as Beverly and does a fabulous job, as do all the other members of the cast. There is always the possibility that the actress playing this part can over-do the characterisation but Lianne played it well without going over the top. Jamie Redgate as Beverly's snobby, henpecked husband did a solid job with the part of Laurence.
I loved Caris Young as the ever optimistic and slightly tactless neighbour, Angela, with a great line referring to her husband Tony, underplayed nicely by Julian Cottee, "No, he's not violent. Just a bit nasty. Like, the other day, he said to me, he'd like to sellotape my mouth. And that's not very nice, is it?"
Another wonderfully played performance is from Sarah Pettican as Sue, who through nervous politeness and not being able to refuse Beverly's constant offers of gin and tonic and nibbles throughout the evening, eventually becomes rather ill. You can truly feel her pain at being in such an uncomfortable position.
The appeal of this play is that we can almost all identify with the characters - we feel that we know these people and this brings a shocking realness to what we are seeing, despite the fact that we are quite often laughing.
With a great looking set which is perfect for the 1970s period, together with some authentic props thanks to Kim Newcombe, the audience - who literally have their feet on the living room carpet - are really encapsulated into all the action taking place. Unfortunately, because of this, there are a few problems in some areas of the auditorium in being able to see some of the actors, which is a shame.
However, anyone who is an Abigail's Party fan, as I am, won't be disappointed with Little Theatre Company's production, which as the week goes on will just get better and better and hopefully attract the type of audience member who appreciates just how much hard work these actors put in to create these shows. When you go though, just make sure you pop to the loo before it starts and unlike Beverly and the gang, go easy on the gin & tonic.
Tickets are available at southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135