From our member: Spotlight Theatre - A note from the director of 'Abigail's Party'

If you're curious about Spotlight Theatre's November production, here's a chance to hear directly from the director! Dawn China, the talented mind behind *Abigail’s Party*, shares some insights about this exciting show. Want to find out more and secure your tickets? Keep reading and don’t miss out on this fantastic production!

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My introduction to Mike Leigh and `Abigail`s Party` was watching the BBC`s “Play For Today” when I was a teenager back in 1977. The play spoke volumes to me about the times, the political and social climate of 1970`s Britain – specifically the rise of consumerism, class aspirations and the tension between the public image and private reality.

The play is called `Abigail`s Party` and people often think it`s a play about Abigail, but Abigail is a teenager who`s having a party further up the road and we are NOT invited. Instead, we are at Beverly`s house, who fancies herself the Queen of suburbia. Over drinks and snacks fatuous small talk abound. The play is hilariously funny but at the same time deeply moving and the tension created on stage is amongst the most painful ever witnessed.

On the 40^th anniversary of this play Mike Leigh said all his plays and films “dealt with the tension between conforming or being true to yourself”. Beverley`s true self is submerged under the armour of social appearance. According to Michael Coveney “Beverly is undoubtedly a monster. But she is childless, and there is a sense in which that grotesque exterior carapace is a mask of inner desolation”.

Beverly belies her true self when admitting she `isn`t much of a cook`, even though she has a state-of-the art cooker which has a `rotisserie` and places Susan`s gift of a bottle of Beaujolais in the fridge. We meet Susan who is Abigail`s mother as she must leave her own house for the evening because of the teenage party her daughter is throwing. Susan is middle class and is divorced from her husband, she really does not want to be at Beverly`s house, she is tense, but she brought wine as she thought she was coming for dinner. The others had already had their `tea` so are happy with nibbles.

Laurence is Beverly`s real estate agent, pretentious husband who thinks that having a complete leather bound, gold embossed set of the works of Shakespeare is the ultimate in class, but he lets himself down by telling Sue `Of course, it`s not something you can actually read`.

The new couple who has just moved in across the road are Angela and Tony, Angela is a nurse and Tony a `computer operator`. Tony is monosyllabic, his character appears dark. Tony is an ex professional footballer who had to give the game up due to an injury, (we assume this is when he met Angela), she is a nurse. Angela comes over as meek and somewhat childlike, dim and cheerfully tactless. Mike Leigh has noted that “underneath Angela`s apparent silliness is the tough, practical reliability of an experienced working nurse.”

My first chance to direct `Abigail`s Party` came as an ex-patriot living in Jakarta, Indonesia back in 1996 (twenty-nine years ago). The second chance came in 2015 (ten years ago), when I directed the show for Gold Coast Little Theatre. Both shows brought in full audiences as `Abigail`s Party` has become a cult classic, people throw `Abigail`s Party` parties where they serve crisps, peanuts, olives and `little cheesy pineapple` snacks and quote lines from the play.

I need to thank Duncan Sims at Spotlight Theatrical Company for giving me the chance to direct my favourite piece of theatre once again, probably my last time. Please don`t miss this wonderful piece of 1970`s satire, you will certainly recognise every character in the show. When the conversation starts you will be cringing and saying to yourself “you can`t possible say that” to someone you hardly know. The dialogue flows well as it is in a conversational tone but the real fun comes in the delivery of those lines. I have managed to attain a wonderful cast who are doing great in rehearsals, could not wish for anything more.

Beverly Moss                  Pamela Payne

Laurence Moss              Adam Hellier

Angela Cooper               Christina You

Tony Cooper                    Mickey Real

Susan Lawson                Diana O`Ferrall

`ABIGAIL`S PARTY` DEVISED BY MIKE LEIGH

DIRECTED BY DAWN CHINA

THE SPOTLIGHT THEATRICAL COMPANY

NOVEMBER 21^ST-DECEMBER 6^TH 2025

For bookings visit Spotlight webpage here or keep a watch on their Facebook page!