The yellow heavily-patterned wallpaper, the orange lava lamp and beige leather sofas create Lee Newby’s wonderful set, dragged straight out of the seventies.
Beverly puts a record on, pours herself a drink, lights a cigarette and begins to dance. She is having a party, the neighbours are coming round. But Abigail, Susan’s fifteen year old daughter, is also having a party next door. This is the opening to Mike Leigh’s ‘Abigail’s Party’ which was first written in 1977, and considers class, relationships and the culture of suburbia. Certainly some topical points of discussion in today’s society, though these contemporary parallels could be more heavily delved into. The production hints at these more poignant moments, but shies away from truly exploring them. Ivan Stott’s sound design has the familiar seventies records which punctuate the play underscored with a throbbing base from next door, a consistent reminder of the speed with which culture changes.
There isn’t a weak link across the cast. Amy Downham’s Angela is lively, warm and vivid, with fantastic comic timing. Susie Emmett as Susan is a lovely presence on stage, grounded and subtle in her performance. Melanie Gutteridge plays the overbearing Beverly, topping up everyone’s glasses and dancing too close to Tony (Liam Bergin) as she insists on another record. Bergin’s Tony feels slightly uncertain, a harmless, comic presence initially that makes the later revelations about his character less convincing, or perhaps the dichotomy isn’t pushed far enough. Some of the strongest moments come as the company sits in silence together, shuffling awkwardly, a strong comic motif of the production.
Towards the second half of the play, there begins a tendency toward the farcical which makes the ending feel slightly confused, neither emotionally impactful nor overly funny. The shock effect is not felt in the way it should be, and the reactions to the situation feel somewhat ingenuine.
This is a lively revival of Mike Leigh’s classic, supported by strong performances but in need of a more impactful finale.
Reviewed by Amelia Brown
Photography by Mark Sepple
Abigail’s Party
Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch until 22nd September
Related
Abi, a contemporary response to Abigail’s Party by Atiha Sen Gupta is running alongside Abigail’s Party – review here
In a pink bus dubbed ‘Priscilla’, two drag queens and a trans-woman travel across the Australian outback to perform at a venue in Alice Springs. The unlikely three run into a series of surprises on the way, some hysterical, some considerably more serious, but the biggest surprise of all awaits them at their destination. Outrageous and glitter covered, the journey is underscored by Tick’s anxieties surrounding his pending reunion with his son, and Bernadette’s own romantic journey. Based on the 1994 hit Australian film ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ and adapted into one of the pioneering jukebox musicals for the stage, this is a cult favourite featuring hits from across the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Mark Inscoe’s Bernadette is the most consistently strong performance of the night. Glamorous, warm and always ready with a biting comment, Inscoe delivers this part with the class and professionalism she deserves and when it comes to the lip syncs Inscoe is impossible to take your eyes off. He looks considerably more comfortable in drag than his fellow actors, and commands the stage unquestionably. Inscoe’s performance is a clear example of the level this whole production needs to reach. Daniel Bailey’s first dance sequence as Adam/Felicia is fantastic – explosive, committed and dynamic. Unfortunately Bailey is unable to bring this energy to his acting. He feels unsure and clumsy, and rather fades into the background, particularly in the larger scenes. Tom Giles as Tick/Mitzi gets progressively stronger throughout, and shines in his show-stopping delivery of ‘MacArthur Park’. This a stand out moment, and he single handedly elevates the energy of the whole production. The relationship between Bernadette and Tick is particularly lovely, genuine and believable, and both Inscoe and Giles deliver moving performances in their more tender moments.
The main cast are joined by a lively community chorus, and the use of actor musicians in the show is a lovely addition which also provides visual variety to a stage, that is otherwise quite bare. Whilst the bus itself is cleverly designed by Joanna Scotcher, the cast are forced to work harder than they might otherwise need to, to generate the feeling of spectacle required. Mark Howland’s lighting design doesn’t help either, overly dark at points and less dynamic than I was hoping to see.
The chorus makes a fantastic sound which is at its best in the slower, harmony-based pieces, however in the faster numbers, particularly in the first half, the vocal entries are often uncertain and late, though the second half picks up in terms of energy and momentum. The vocals are frequently overpowered by the orchestral accompaniment and certain actors struggle without choreographed movement. This is a show whose spectacle relies on these chorus numbers being as impactful and as tight as possible, and it does struggle here.
Glitter, drag queens and a pink bus – if this doesn’t recommend a show, I don’t know what will. This production captures the fun, excitement and tenderness of the story, and is supported by some brilliant performances. Unfortunately it does feel rough around the edges, let down by uncertainty, however I hope that these issues can be solved by more rehearsal over the course of the run as this production is alive with potential.
