Abigail’s Party

Synopsis: Television production of the stage play devised by Mike Leigh. The improvised action unfolds over an evening in the living room of Beverly and Lawrence’s house in suburbia as Beverly hosts a drinks party for her new neighbours. Leigh offers a tragic-comic comment on class, aspiration, greed and domination. A discussion on how their neighbourhood has become more culturally and ethnically diverse causes Lawrence to move towards his gold-embossed set of Shakespeare’s complete works and take a volume from the shelf. He replaces it saying ‘Part of our heritage. Of course it’s not something you can actually read’. The Shakespeare reference, although brief, is an important part of the play’s concerns which question notions of culture and taste.
Series: Play for Today
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television; Video
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Transmission details: 1 Nov 1977 at 21:30 (Channel: BBC1)
Duration: 150 mins

Producer

Margaret Matheson

Production Design

Kenneth Sharp

Contributor

Mike Leigh

Cast

General: Abigail’s Party was first staged at the Hampstead Theatre, London.
History: The play enjoyed high viewing figures as other channels were affected by industrial disputes and stormy weather.

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Shakespeare, "Abigail’s Party". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av69332 (Accessed 19 Sep 2024)

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