Abigail's Party: Tamzin Outhwaite is 'mesmerising' as hostess of 'soiree from hell'
Nadia Fall's revival of 'savage' Mike Leigh satire at Stratford East
"We all know a Beverley," said Nancy Durrant in The Times. The "magnificent monster" at the heart of Mike Leigh's "savage 1970s satire of the aspirational middle classes" has "never gone away".
More than four decades since "Abigail's Party" premiered at Hampstead Theatre, Nadia Fall's revival of the hit play has opened at Stratford East. Taking on the role of Beverley is a "mesmerising" Tamzin Outhwaite, who is hosting a dinner party alongside her estate agent husband Laurence (Kevin Bishop) to welcome their new "younger, less wealthy" neighbours, Angela and Tony, to the area. Really it's an opportunity for the older couple to flaunt their bigger house – a "glorious orange riot" designed by Peter McKintosh.
Also in attendance at the "brittle little do" is Beverley's divorced neighbour Sue (the "wonderfully subtle" Pandora Colin), whose teenage daughter Abigail is holding a punk-soundtracked house party within earshot.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fall has "hardly tweaked" the production, except for casting two British Asian actors in the roles of Angela and Tony: a "brilliant touch" that adds another layer to Laurence's "snide" comments about the area becoming more "cosmopolitan".
Presiding over the "soiree from hell", Outhwaite puts her "own stamp" on the lead role, expertly moving between "marital carping, proprietorial fussing and predatory manoeuvring", said Dominic Cavendish in The Telegraph. Throughout the "superbly acted" production, "not a beat or look is misjudged". At its "vicious best", the show feels like "pre-Thatcher England’s answer to 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'"
It's not without "flaws", though, said Theo Bosanquet in What's On Stage. The ending fails to "live up to the promise of what precedes it", and some parts of the script felt dated, "not least the use of the word 'rape' for cheap laughs". But Fall's revival "revels in its sheer entertainment factor", and Outhwaite is on "stellar form" as the comic lead.
Many of the lines are "gaspingly, immortally funny", added Andrzej Lukowski in Time Out, and as a "simmering study of passive-aggressive Britishness it is utterly peerless".
Until 12 October, Stratford East, London E15
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
A Very Royal Scandal: more trouble for the royals?
Talking Point Amazon Prime's new Prince Andrew drama could be another headache for the royal family
By The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Coworker email
Puzzles and Quizzes A group of people hiking
By The Week US Published
-
Martin Blake's cod with mussel and chorizo broth
Recipe Succulent cod is paired with a rich, briny broth in this sumptuous bowlful
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
8 award-winning restaurants to visit this fall
It's the season for dropping magazine restaurant and chef awards
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Unplugged: digital detox cabins offer an escape from the grid and the grind
The Week Recommends Tech-free retreats in the British countryside give guests a chance to switch off
By Kate Lucy, The Week UK Published
-
Female authors light up the Booker Prize shortlist
The Week Recommends This year’s writers have tackled wide-ranging subjects from espionage to space travel
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Ruska: experience Finland's magnificent autumn foliage
The Week Recommends The 'fleeting' season lasts just three weeks
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
10 upcoming albums to stream in sweater weather
The Week Recommends As summer turns to fall, check out these new albums from Fleetwood Mac, Katy Perry, Kim Deal and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
A foodie guide to Seattle
The Week Recommends From bustling markets to burger joints, these are the best spots in the city
By Neil Davey Published
-
7 cocktails for a comforting autumn
The Week Recommends Vodka, rum, brandy, mezcal: The gang's all here
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Discover Ravenna's glittering treasures
The Week Recommends The 'magical' town is home to magnificent churches and excellent restaurants
By The Week UK Published