"Play for Today" Abigail's Party (1977)

Director:

Mike Leigh

Writer:

Mike Leigh (writer)

TV Series:

"Play for Today" (1970)

Original Air Date:

1 November 1977 (Season 8, Episode 3)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A TV play based on the Hampstead Theatre production. Beverly has invited her new neighbours, Angela and Tony...

Plot Keywords:

Party | Tragicomedy | Character Name In Title | Male Female Relationship

Cast

Alison Steadman	...	Beverly
Tim Stern	...	Laurence
Janine Duvitski	...	Angela
John Salthouse	...	Tony
Harriet Reynolds	...	Susan

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The cramp Angela is crippled by at the end of the play was originally genuine. During rehearsals for the stage play Janine Duvitski was suddenly struck down with cramp and doubled over, Mike Leigh ruthlessly cried "Keep Acting" and the whole thing ended up remaining in the stage and TV play.

Quotes:

[Laurence puts the Shakespeare play back on the bookshelf]
Laurence: Our nation's culture. Not something you can actually read, of course.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Interview with Chris Petit and Keith Griffiths (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Love to Love You, Baby

Painful & hilarious & agonising

Wow. Abigail's Party - and I am the first person to comment on it? This is certainly an interesting film. In parts it's riotously funny... I mean laugh-out-loud funny... the characters are all obnoxious (except perhaps Sue) with traits that'll make you thank the Lord that they are not your neighbours or friends. The tension just rises and rises through the film... you know it's building up to something big... by the end though it's damn depressing. You hate these characters, you want to shout at them! But the acting is brilliant. Alison Steadman's Beverly full of clichés and tartiness, with a voice that gives you the creeps. Tim Stern (Laurence), the hen-pecked husband, an uptight little weasel and an intellectual snob. Angela (Jane Duvitski), weak and ineffectual, annoying as hell, easily-led, yet comes through the whole thing with more strength than the others. John Salthouse as Tony is a magnificent character, you can feel his anger brewing underneath this quiet exterior. And then there's Susan, played by Harriet Reynolds, whose unseen daughter Abigail is the one having the party. Sue's the one who gets thrown in with all these misfits... poor thing. The setting is claustrophobic, the humour is full on, sometimes though it just gets a little too nasty for words, and leaves a rather bittersweet taste. Funny it may be but it's a bloody painful ride, and though it's looking seriously dated, it's still a fascinating piece of work.