Abigail’s Party at Blackpool Grand Theatre
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
A fresh new version of Mike Leigh’s iconic and most-lauded 1970’s comedy, Abigail’s Party, comes to Blackpool Grand Theatre this autumn. This celebrated comedy of manners first premiered in London in 1977. Now, over forty years later, the party is still going strong for this warm suburban comedy.
Settle into your seat and enjoy this national treasure as you’ve never seen it before. Directed by acclaimed new theatrical talent, Jack Bradfield – winner of the Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) Sir Peter Hall Directing Award, expect to see new life injected into this biting black comedy.
Overbearing hostess Beverly is hosting a cocktail party. Together with her husband Laurence, Beverly invites her newly married neighbours, Angela and Tony and her divorced neighbour, Sue. Meanwhile, Sue’s teenage daughter, Abigail is throwing a party of her own next door.
As the booze flows, tensions boil and tempers alight – until the curtain of respectability falls with hilarious though potentially catastrophic consequences.
Abigail’s Party is considered a British theatre masterpiece and one of Mike Leigh’s most revered works. When Abigail’s Party was devised, Leigh’s way of working was viewed as different from many other theatre-makers. Instead of presenting his actors with a script, Leigh used the rehearsal space and the actors as his medium and inspiration. Abigail’s Party was created through improvisations during which Leigh explored the characters with the performers. This organic, character-based work allowed for evolution and depth, as Leigh and his actors worked together to create authentic and fully realised personalities. The finished work was never planned beforehand and the original cast improvised for ten weeks to create the powerful, yet ridiculous, characters.
Voted one of the country’s favourite TV shows in a Radio Times poll, Leigh’s ground-breaking Abigail’s Party is one of Britain’s most popular comedies. Recommended for ages 12+, this eagerly anticipated touring production is not to be missed.
