Review: ABIGAIL’S PARTY, Theatre Royal Stratford East

Photo credit: Mark Senior

Stratford East’s revival of Abigail’s Party is a horribly familiar and dazzlingly uncomfortable affair, like a comfort blanket full of nails – and that’s just how we like it; this is where Mike Leigh’s suburban satire gets a fresh, sharp-witted twist, making the audience squirm and laugh in equal measure.

It’s hard to know just what makes Abigail’s Party so fantastic (as Beverly herself would say), but the characters are definitely a big part of why this play has endured for almost 50 years, and Tamzin Outhwaite steals the show as Beverly, a force of nature who bludgeons her guests with charm and alcohol. She’s the queen of passive-aggressive hosting and when she talks, there’s a delicious undercurrent of menace in the sweetness. But there’s a sad kind of desperation too; the way her face lights up when Ange says she wants to see the ‘pornographic’ picture hanging in the bedroom is heartbreaking. Poor Beverly. She’s awful, but does that awfulness come from being so lonely and scared of being alone?

Kevin Bishop’s Laurence is the perfect foil, teetering between exasperation and total collapse… for a while, at least. Bishop gives us a man who’s wound so tight that even a misplaced cheese-and-pineapple stick could set him off and as the evening goes on, we even see a nastier side to the mild-mannered estate agent; not only is he potentially violent but in this production, he might be a racist too.

Pandora Colin as Susan is subtly stunning, saying more with a pained smile than words ever could, showing the audience with hunched shoulders and polite acceptance of drinks and cigarettes and crisps just how much she doesn’t want to be there, but she’s too nice to just leave – and even when she does attempt an escape, Beverly is there to block her at every turn. As the unwitting bystander to the evening’s growing chaos, Susan is the audience’s lifeline, and we all end up clinging to her, even though at the end she’s the one who loses all control.

Omar Malik and Ashna Rabheru as Tony and Angela are the ultimate odd couple: Tony’s silent brooding and Angela’s clueless enthusiasm make for comedy gold at times, although there’s something else under the surface, and it’s hard to tell what it is. Ange tries so hard to be like Beverly, and Tony just isn’t going to play along, which has led to a lot of tension, and it’s so thick that the audience can all but taste it (or is that the scent of Youth Dew in the air?). Angela’s unrelenting admiration for Beverly’s questionable taste and Tony’s smouldering frustration adds to the simmering tension in the room, which is, of course, fuelled by gallons of booze – just a little top up ends up being the whole bottle.

Nadia Fall directs with a delicate touch, dialling up the discomfort without ever tipping it into melodrama – and with a character like Beverly to keep in check, that’s not an easy ask. She keeps the pace brisk, the laughs flowing, and the awkward silences gloriously long. The opening to the second act is a moment of genius where we can see Beverly’s mind working; she really is her own main character. We won’t spoil it, but it’s both ridiculous and fascinating. Then there’s Peter McKintosh’s set design, a glorious tribute to 1970’s excess: all clashing patterns, shag carpets, and faux-elegance – our dream living room, in other words. One particularly clever idea is to essentially make the record player spinning Demis Roussos a character in its own right, the ultimate battle ground for Beverly and Laurence and their opposite tastes.

Abigail’s Party remains a biting commentary on middle-class pretensions, but this production doesn’t shy away from the play’s humour – it’s a dark comedy, but it’s full of laughs that catch in your throat because it wouldn’t be funny in real life, but watching from a safe distance, it’s okay. Perhaps not safe, but at least we’re not involved, and we can be thankful for small mercies! The banter between the characters, especially Beverly’s excruciating attempts at small talk, is teeth-grindingly cringe-worthy, and the tension builds slowly, until the inevitable happens – it’s wonderfully grim.

This production of Abigail’s Party is a perfect cocktail of sharp wit, social tension, and barbed comedy. Stratford East has managed to revive the play’s timeless appeal while making it feel as relevant as ever; this is a show that invites you in with the promise of a good time but keeps you on edge, just like Beverly’s party itself. It’s a must-see, whether you’re there for the biting social critique or simply to watch a group of people spiral out of control in the most hilarious way possible.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Lisamarie Lamb

Abigail’s Party plays at Theatre Royal Stratford East until 12 October, with further info here.