Abigail’s Party, Royal Exchange Manchester Review
Kym Marsh in Abigail’s Party. Photo by Johan Persson
Written by Aimee for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Abigail’s Party, written by Mike Leigh, centers around middle class couple Beverly (Kym Marsh) and Lawrence (Graeme Hawley) who invite their neighbours for a seemingly innocent cocktail party. Yet as the night unfolds and the alcohol flows, we come to realise that all is not as it seems for our couples, with the night ending with a dramatic twist.
The show features five distinct characters- Beverly, Lawrence, Angela, Tony, and Susan- who each contribute to the setting we are witnessing in their own unique way. Kym Marsh, as Beverly, is fantastic; she glides across the stage with an airy grace, swishing her dress as she refills her guests' drinks and offers them cigarettes. Graeme Hawley, playing Lawrence, injects humour into the show as the comedic husband who is often dominated by his wife at home. However, beyond the initial laughter, we gain deeper insights into his character as he begins to express his views on the social class of the area’s newer residents. Yasmin Taheri's portrayal of Angela is sweet and relatable; she is new to the area, currently working as a nurse, eager to fit in and quick to align with her neighbours' thoughts and opinions. Kyle Rowe portrays her husband, Tony, who is stiff and stern- a man of few words but whose presence commands attention whenever he speaks, prompting us to reflect on how he interacts with his wife. Finally, Tupele Dorgu as Susan is truly lovely. As a divorced woman, she stands apart from the two couples, remaining reserved and only chiming in when necessary. Throughout the evening, we witness her growing concern for her 15-year-old daughter, Abigail, who is hosting a party at their home down the street.
The set design by Peter Butler is magnificent. The stage presents the living room of Beverly and Lawrence’s home to us in a round setting. With no backdrop, the stage is cleverly composed of sections that reveal different parts of the house, whether it's the main room, the kitchen, the bathroom, or, as we see toward the end of the show, the upstairs. Without the script directly stating the era in which the show takes place, one only needs to look at the design to understand that it’s set in the 1970s. What is most impressive about the stage is that it all sits on a revolve. Inside the living room, we can see a record player, and throughout the night, whenever our characters decide to play music, that is when we see the revolve spin in time with the different music being played. It's a subtle yet noticeable touch, one that I found to be quite clever and pleasing.
Despite its positives, I did find there was one aspect I had an issue with, that being the pacing of the show. Everything happens in one evening and therefore the night slowly unfolds over a two act show. Whilst sometimes this can work, I found for this show that it just didn’t. By the time we got to the interval, not much had happened within the story, apart from an occasional hint towards topics such as racism and abuse. In fact, it took getting to the end of the show to feel like something was happening, and when something did happen, it felt almost out of the blue. It left me considering whether the show needed to be two acts, or whether it would have benefitted more by being a one act show.
Overall this play was interesting and funny at times, yet not without its faults.
At the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester until May 24th.
★★★
