Abigail's Party

‘Abigail’s Party’ is a theatrical classic, written in 1977 by RADA graduate, Mike Leigh. This social satire, Leigh’s 17^th play, was after brief stage run (starring his wife Alison Steadman), produced for BBC TV.

This two-hour magnificent character study is being presented by the Wanneroo Repertory group at the Limelight Theatre, Civic Drive, in Wanneroo each evening at 8.00 pm until the 20^th April.

        It is 1977 in the quiet, lower-middle-class town of Hadleigh in Essex. In a trendily decorated sitting room – sorry ‘lounge’ – full of kitsch, such as the latest optic-fibre and lava lamps, tastelessly mingled with quality items of style and opulence like leather bound books and prints of famous paintings.

       Sycophantic real estate agent, Laurence Moss (Gordon Park) and his subtly manipulative wife, ‘quondam’ beautician Beverley (Jeanette Hotop), argue as they arrange the welcome-to-the-street party for their two new neighbours, Angela and Tony. In spite of this get-together, Laurence, dressed in his fashionable, pale blue suit and kipper tie, promises a client on the ‘phone to collect and deliver some house keys. 

        As Laurence leaves, the new couple arrive. The bubbly Angela (Sue McDonnell), a nurse with very little tact or common sense and her husband, computer operator Tony (Andrew Govey) - a man of few words - is like a magnet to the childless Beverley, whose love life has been less than satisfactory for aeons. Bored after years of his wife’s conversational petty drivel, Tony preens himself, tucks in his cream polo necked jumper and straightens his striped flares. He sits and silently contemplates his beige platform shoes, obviously being at the ‘drinks and nibbles do’ under duress. Aspiring Beverley, who is attired in a kaftan and half the world’s output of gold, fawns all over him whilst choosing some emetic mood music by José Feliciano.

       Another neighbour, smart but rather serious, straight-laced Sue (Gwen Browning), who is a divorcée, arrives to join the company. She has just left her fifteen year-old daughter with a couple of dozen friends having a quiet party in her house. The others present, completely unaware of their intrusion, ply Susan with alcohol and ask the most intimate questions about her earlier life. They finally stress her by questioning what could really be happening at her daughter Abigail’s party.

        The evening has a dramatic and unexpected end.

The set’s design team (Karen Tropiano, Justin Vallow and Carryn McLean) has excelled with the geometrical wallpaper, a wall of contemporary designs and the private bar in the corner. Shelley McGinn’s costumes were perfect for the characters concerned. No doubt there must have been some difficulty sourcing props and décor, but it was well worth the effort.

Well balanced lighting (Wally Fry) and good sound (Justin Vallow) although the last, quite important sound effect, was severely muted by the curtain closing; perhaps a little more volume.

The programme (Bob Mainwaring) was clear, concise and colourful and at only $1 for four A4 sides, excellent value.

The talented director, Karen Tropiano, with true Mike Leigh technique, has chosen a group of talented actors and worked on a ‘one to one’ basis with each in turn. The technique is, as Timothy Spall has pointed out in an interview, ‘You create the character on the basis of someone you know, and you build an entire reservoir of information about that character.’ After a while, Leigh introduces the play’s characters to each other, having them react as though they have just been introduced. The script is strong in the structure but very loose in its dialogue, allowing the characters to bring in their own fine characterisation. In this case the cast have done extremely well, not quite capturing the true Leigh technique, but certainly giving some excellent performances hinting at the desolation, loneliness and tragedy hidden behind the characters’ facades.

This play will not be to everyone’s taste. There is little ‘action’ as it is purely a beautifully observed character study, with a wonderful retrospective look at the pretentious life of the seventies. The prejudices and fashions are all very well displayed. A VERY difficult play to perform and most demanding to pull off, but certainly an admirable result.