Abigail’s Party
Theatre Royal Stratford East, London

AN excellent new production of Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party stars Tamzin Outhwaite, who lights up the stage throughout this excellent performance at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.

Set and costume designer, Peter McKintosh’s static set, encapsulates 1970s middle-class living. The flock wallpaper, record player and cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks. Outhwaite dominates, playing Beverly, who was so memorably portrayed in the original stage and TV productions by Alison Steadman. Outhwaite’s version is a more stylish, lithe characterisation, gracefully sweeping around the set. One minute flirting, the next chastising. But always seeming not far from meltdown.

The play opens with Outhwaite dancing on the couch in a scene that could make the audience think they’d arrived at the wrong venue, maybe Abba Voyage, at the arena down the road? Outhwaite, though, retains much of Steadman’s trademark rhetoric, with the drawn out act-u-ally, a feature of many sentences.

The play is hilarious but also has darker undertones. The scene of two married couples so clearly unsuited is of less shock value now than it was in 1977, when the play was first performed. Relationships of accommodation, kept together by economic and social restraint.

Characters like Tony (Omar Malik), with his monosyllabic responses to almost every question, have a hint of coercive control. Yet nurse Angie (Ashna Rabheru) comes more into her own as the plot unfolds.

Then there is the combustible relationship between Beverly and Lawrence (Kevin Bishop). Aggressive dislike, then final regret.

The depiction of Sue (Pandora Colin), the mother of Abigail, who is never seen but around whose party the plot revolves, is different from the original play where the actor was taller. Much was made then of awkwardness in the size difference with Lawrence in the dance scene. In this version, however, despite the height similarities another type of awkwardness is conveyed.

Director Nadia Fall does a great job with this adaptation of Mike Leigh’s play, keeping true to the original, yet bringing a twist more towards the modern day.

And Outhwaite excels, dominating the set with a great energy and poise. She is well supported by the other cast members, who hold true to the original storyline.

An excellent production that is well worth seeing.

Runs till October 12. Box office: (020) 8534-0310, www.stratfordeast.com.