Abigail's Party

Abigail's Party

Abigail's Party

Abigail's Party

Overview

British suburbanites Laurence and Beverly are entertaining their new neighbours, Angela and Tony as well as Susan, whose teenage daughter, Abigail is having a party to which Susan has been dis-invited. Over drinks and snacks, cliches and fatuous small talk abound. The tension escalates as the marital strain between Beverly and Laurence surfaces. Susan's anxiety over Abigail's party accelerates as rock music and God-knows-what permeate the room. As Beverly and Angela offer some supremely tactless remarks, reality breaks through the smugness when Laurence collapses with a fatal heart attack.

Abigail's Party was evolved from scratch entirely by rehearsal through improvisation.

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Cautions

  • Caution Alcohol Alcohol
  • Caution Animals Animals
  • Caution Drugs Drugs
  • Caution Flying Flying
  • Artboard 3 Gun Shots
  • Caution Intense Adult Intense Adult Themes
  • Caution Strong Language Strong Language
  • Caution Mild Adult Mild Adult Themes
  • Caution Open Flame Open Flame
  • Caution Smoking Smoking

Details

  • Genre: Farce, Fantasy, Adventure, Adaptation (Literature), Adaptation (Shakespeare), Adaptation (Stage & Screen), Theatre for Young Audiences, Mystery/Thriller, Christmas/Holiday, Biography, Fable/Folktale, Period, Experimental, Chancel Drama/Pageant, Science Fiction, Parody/Spoof, Docudrama/History, Commedia dell'Arte, Not Applicable, Faith-Based, Romantic Comedy
  • Time Period: Contemporary, Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century, The Future, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s/WWII, 1930s, 1920s, 1910s/WWI, 1900-1910, Wild West, American Civil War Era, Victorian (British and American), 16th Century/Elizabethan, Greek/Roman/Biblical, Not Applicable, 18th Century, 19th Century, 17th Century, Medieval (6th-14th Century), 5th Century/Arthurian, Ancient, 15th Century
  • Cast Attributes: Role(s) for Asian Actor(s), Role(s) for Black Actor(s), Role(s) for Latine Actor(s), All Men, All Women, Ensemble Cast, Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible), Expandable Casting, Features Children, Role(s) for Teen(s), Flexible Cast Size, Local Celebrity Cameo, Multicultural Casting, Roles for Children, Room for Extras, Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle), Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle), Not Applicable, Role(s) for Senior Actor(s), Role(s) for Trans Actor(s), Role(s) for Non-Binary Actor(s), Role(s) for Indigenous Actor(s)
  • Target Audience: Appropriate for All Audiences, Adult, Senior, Young Children (Age 2-5), Children (Age 6-10), Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)

Authors

Mike Leigh

Mike Leigh trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, at Camberwell and Central Art Schools in London, and at the London Film School. He has written and directed over twenty stage plays. These include Babies Grow Old (1974), Abigail's Party (1977), Ecstasy (1979), Goose ...
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