Recent from talks
Abigail's Party
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Abigail's Party
Abigail's Party is a play for stage and television, devised and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. It is a suburban situation comedy of manners, and a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that emerged in Britain in the 1970s. The play developed in lengthy improvisations during which Mike Leigh explored the characters with the actors, but did not always reveal the incidents that would occur during the play. The production opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre, and returned after its initial run in the summer of 1977, for 104 performances in all. A recording was arranged at the BBC as a Play for Today, produced by Margaret Matheson for BBC Scotland and transmitted in November 1977.
The stage play was first performed at the Hampstead Theatre on 18 April 1977, enjoying great success, leading to a revival over the summer of that year, which was another sellout.
The television version was abridged from over two hours to 104 minutes; the record played by Beverley in the original stage production was "Light My Fire" by José Feliciano and in the TV production it was the 1976 hit "Forever and Ever" by Demis Roussos – Leigh had to replace nearly all the music with artists recorded on British labels, for copyright reasons, in case the BBC sold the play to the United States. As José Feliciano became Demis Roussos, so Elvis Presley gave way to Tom Jones. Other music used in the BBC production included "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer (sung by Clare Torry) and a piece of library music by Robert Farnon entitled "Blue Theme".
The BBC version was a film of a play, rather than a film in its own right, about which Leigh commented:
The first thing I'd say is, this is not a film. And not only that: for a film-maker, it's a work of deep embarrassment and pain. There is no piece of work for which I have been responsible as director by which I'm embarrassed, apart from Abigail's Party. Not for the play or its content [...] It is a stage play that was wheeled into a television studio. It's slightly compromised as a play, but not too seriously. However, as a piece of craft, it's simply appalling.
The original production starred Alison Steadman as Beverley, and Tim Stern as her husband Laurence. They are holding a drinks party for their new neighbours, Angela (Janine Duvitski) and her husband Tony (John Salthouse). They also invite Susan (Thelma Whiteley), another neighbour. Abigail herself is never seen—she is Susan's 15-year-old daughter, who is holding her first teenager party next door. For the television version, the original cast reprised their roles, with the exception of Thelma Whiteley, who was replaced by Harriet Reynolds.
Each of the original cast largely devised the back story to their character. John Salthouse brought his early career as a footballer with Crystal Palace to that of Tony. According to Leigh, discussions at the improvised sessions included whether Beverley's name should have a third "e" or not. The most complex relationship was worked out between Angela and Tony. Little of this is disclosed during the narrative, although something of it becomes apparent when Angela steps in to care first for Sue, then the stricken Laurence, and the centre of power between the couple starts to shift noticeably.
The terrain is "the London side of Essex", "theoretical Romford" according to Leigh. Beverley Moss invites her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, who moved into the road just two weeks ago, over for drinks. She has also invited her neighbour Susan (Sue), divorced for three years, whose fifteen-year-old daughter Abigail is holding a party at home. Beverley's husband Laurence comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive. The gathering starts off in a stiff fashion as the virtual strangers tentatively gather, until Beverley and Laurence start sniping at each other. As Beverley serves more drinks and the alcohol takes effect, Beverley flirts more and more overtly with Tony, as Laurence sits impotently by. After a tirade when Beverley insists on showing off her kitsch print Wings of Love, Laurence suffers a fatal heart attack.
Hub AI
Abigail's Party AI simulator
(@Abigail's Party_simulator)
Abigail's Party
Abigail's Party is a play for stage and television, devised and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. It is a suburban situation comedy of manners, and a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that emerged in Britain in the 1970s. The play developed in lengthy improvisations during which Mike Leigh explored the characters with the actors, but did not always reveal the incidents that would occur during the play. The production opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre, and returned after its initial run in the summer of 1977, for 104 performances in all. A recording was arranged at the BBC as a Play for Today, produced by Margaret Matheson for BBC Scotland and transmitted in November 1977.
The stage play was first performed at the Hampstead Theatre on 18 April 1977, enjoying great success, leading to a revival over the summer of that year, which was another sellout.
The television version was abridged from over two hours to 104 minutes; the record played by Beverley in the original stage production was "Light My Fire" by José Feliciano and in the TV production it was the 1976 hit "Forever and Ever" by Demis Roussos – Leigh had to replace nearly all the music with artists recorded on British labels, for copyright reasons, in case the BBC sold the play to the United States. As José Feliciano became Demis Roussos, so Elvis Presley gave way to Tom Jones. Other music used in the BBC production included "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer (sung by Clare Torry) and a piece of library music by Robert Farnon entitled "Blue Theme".
The BBC version was a film of a play, rather than a film in its own right, about which Leigh commented:
The first thing I'd say is, this is not a film. And not only that: for a film-maker, it's a work of deep embarrassment and pain. There is no piece of work for which I have been responsible as director by which I'm embarrassed, apart from Abigail's Party. Not for the play or its content [...] It is a stage play that was wheeled into a television studio. It's slightly compromised as a play, but not too seriously. However, as a piece of craft, it's simply appalling.
The original production starred Alison Steadman as Beverley, and Tim Stern as her husband Laurence. They are holding a drinks party for their new neighbours, Angela (Janine Duvitski) and her husband Tony (John Salthouse). They also invite Susan (Thelma Whiteley), another neighbour. Abigail herself is never seen—she is Susan's 15-year-old daughter, who is holding her first teenager party next door. For the television version, the original cast reprised their roles, with the exception of Thelma Whiteley, who was replaced by Harriet Reynolds.
Each of the original cast largely devised the back story to their character. John Salthouse brought his early career as a footballer with Crystal Palace to that of Tony. According to Leigh, discussions at the improvised sessions included whether Beverley's name should have a third "e" or not. The most complex relationship was worked out between Angela and Tony. Little of this is disclosed during the narrative, although something of it becomes apparent when Angela steps in to care first for Sue, then the stricken Laurence, and the centre of power between the couple starts to shift noticeably.
The terrain is "the London side of Essex", "theoretical Romford" according to Leigh. Beverley Moss invites her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, who moved into the road just two weeks ago, over for drinks. She has also invited her neighbour Susan (Sue), divorced for three years, whose fifteen-year-old daughter Abigail is holding a party at home. Beverley's husband Laurence comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive. The gathering starts off in a stiff fashion as the virtual strangers tentatively gather, until Beverley and Laurence start sniping at each other. As Beverley serves more drinks and the alcohol takes effect, Beverley flirts more and more overtly with Tony, as Laurence sits impotently by. After a tirade when Beverley insists on showing off her kitsch print Wings of Love, Laurence suffers a fatal heart attack.