Theatre Review: Abigail’s Party.

Newcastle University Theatre Society’s (NUTS) spring programme is well underway, with the surprise gem of the season being Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party, directed by Matthew Harper. The premise of the play is simple: Beverly and Lawrence invite their neighbours, Angela, Tony and Sue over for drinks, while Sue’s 15-year old daughter has a party of her own. However basic the plot seems, Leigh’s eloquent writing fills the piece with tension and very dry, very British humour.

After an initial awkwardness, the play lurches into gear: Beverly’s (Harriet McLean) blatant flirting with Tony  (Jordan Schudder) was both hilarious and uncomfortable as Lawrence (Emil Calder) passively sat by. Both Angela (Kathryn Evans) and Sue (Ellyn Laws) became victims of Beverly’s passive aggressiveness. Angela’s voice was hilarious as she naively accepted Beverly’s backhanded compliments, while Sue, the most normal one of the characters, seemed miserably out of place. The play grew tenser, especially in the second half, as the comedy became darker. Both Tony and Lawrence became more dominant and their behaviour exposed underlying issues, such as domestic violence, and showed who really was in control.

Given the painfully realistic nature of Abigail’s Party, it is surprising that it rewards clumsiness. Many a moment left me wondering if it was scripted or not. It was a great performance; Harper exploited the comedic elements to perfection. Abigail’s Party shows that less is more: what is unsaid is as important and as funny as what is said. Terrific performances from the actors, especially the women, made Abigail’s Party a hilarious success.

Tickets for the rest of NUTS plays this season (including A View From The Bridge, The Madness of King George, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream) can be found via this link.