For a play so rooted in the 1970s, Abigail’s Party is having a surprising renaissance. The Royal Exchange’s new production is the third major revival of Mike Leigh’s play in less than 12 months, after outings with Theatre Royal Stratford East and English Touring Theatre. Natalie Abrahami’s version relocates the play to Manchester, though this could be a middle-class cul-de-sac anywhere.
Leigh’s tale of suburban boredom and aspiration transports easily, speaking to a whole generation of striving consumers. At its heart is domineering hostess Beverly, played with a loose-limbed, tipsy energy by Kym Marsh. Forcing drinks and nibbles on her guests, she’s forever on the verge of swaying – either to the music or from one too many gin and tonics – but beneath this there are occasional glints of something harder.
The main target of her barbs is estate agent husband Laurence (Graeme Hawley, almost vibrating with contained frustration), while new neighbours Angela (played with both innocence and grit by Yasmin Taheri) and Tony (a taciturn Kyle Rowe) are on the receiving end of her bullying hospitality. The party is completed by Tupele Dorgu’s brilliantly uneasy Susan, mother of the eponymous Abigail, whose understated horror is written all over her face.
Putting Beverly and Laurence’s home on the Royal Exchange stage compresses it, creating an even tighter pressure cooker. Surrounded by the audience, there’s no escape for these party guests. The sparingly used revolve evokes the booze-fuelled wooziness of the evening and heightens the climactic drama, lending a growing queasiness to Peter Butler’s design of oranges, browns and yellows.
It remains a play that feels very much of its time, but Abrahami and her cast bring subtle shades of light and dark to these well-worn characters, underlining the sadness as well as the comedy of Leigh’s suburbia.
• Abigail’s Party is at the Royal Exchange theatre, Manchester, until 24 May
