London Classic Theatre presents Mike Leigh’s ruthless and achingly funny examination of 1970s British life in Abigail’s Party at The New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme this April.
It was 1977, the year of skin-tight polyester, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and Saturday Night Fever. The Sex Pistols were storming up the charts, skateboarding was the latest craze and Angela Rippon danced with Morecambe & Wise. And Mike Leigh and his cast were putting the finishing touches to Abigail’s Party, the ferocious black comedy that became a true landmark of twentieth-century theatre.
Taking to the New Vic stage from Wednesday 5 to Saturday 15 April, Abigail’s Party follows the exploits of Beverly in her suburban living room as she prepares for the arrival of her guests. She and husband Laurence will play host to neighbours Angela, Tony and Susan. As the alcohol flows and the ‘nibbles’ are handed around, tensions will rise…
In the follow up to last year’s Same Time Next Year, London Classic Theatre Artistic Director Michael Cabot will direct Rebecca Birch (My Mother Said I Never Should, London Classic Theatre) as Beverly, Jo Castleton (War Horse, National Theatre) as Susan, Alice De-Warrenne (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Angela, George Readshaw (Indecent Proposal, Southwark Playhouse) as Tony, and Tom Richardson (The Prince and the Pauper, New Vic) as Laurence in this achingly funny examination of 1970s British life.
Cast/Team Details
Creative Team:
Directed by Michael Cabot; Designed by Bek Palmer; Lighting by Matthew Green.
Cast:
Rebecca Birch Beverly; Jo Castleton Susan; Alice De-Warrenne Angela; George Readshaw Tony; and Tom Richardson Laurence.
How much do the tickets to Abigail’s Party cost?
Tickets are on sale now, priced from £20 – £29.
Concessions: £2.00 off
Group Discounts: £2.00 off for ten or more
Four Friends for £82
Under 16s Go Free
Under 26s Go Free
How do I book tickets to Abigail’s Party?
Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 01782 717962 or visit the New Vic Theatre’s website here. Recommended age is 14+. Contains strong language.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
Abigail’s Party will open at the New Vic Theatre on Wednesday, 5 April and run until Saturday, 15 April 2023 with evening shows at 7.30pm while the matinee shows will be at 2.15pm. Please check their website for the exact timings.
Where is New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-Under-Lyme?
New Vic Theatre
Etruria Road
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Staffordshire
ST5 0JG
The theatre has a large car park, with a £1.50 charge after 6pm on show days. Only contactless card payment is currently accepted for parking charges.
The theatre café is open 10am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday – then from 5.30pm for pre-show meals.
Booking is required for pre-show meals 5.30pm onwards, via their booking system at this link.
About The New Vic Theatre
Founded in 1962, the New Vic is the producing theatre for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. With around eight major productions a year, its varied programme includes contemporary drama, new commissions, adaptations and classics. Recent productions have toured nationally and internationally, and have transferred to London and Manchester. The New Vic has developed extensive and award-winning community involvement. It works regionally, nationally and internationally through its education department and New Vic Borderlines, which aims to change the lives of the most disadvantaged members of the community. The New Vic is funded by Arts Council England, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
About London Classic Theatre (LCT)
London Classic Theatre is based in Whyteleafe, Surrey and is run by Artistic Director Michael Cabot and Producer Kathryn Cabot. The company was launched in 2000 as a touring theatre company with David Mamet’s Oleanna. This inaugural tour lost a small fortune, but doors had opened and crucially, the work was being seen. Twenty-three years and forty-four tours later, London Classic Theatre is now a successful, established part of the commercial UK touring theatre scene. The company has never received any funding or sponsorship for its work. As Artistic Director, Michael Cabot has programmed a repertoire of classic and modern classic plays, a mixture of the challenging and the commercial, big titles and less well-known, including two UK premières – Hugh Leonard’s Love in the Title and Joanna Murray-Smith’s Nightfall. As venues and audiences have become more familiar with the company’s work, Michael and Kathryn have been able to push the boundaries of what LCT offers, in ambition, scale and complexity.
About Arts Council England
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. By 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help deliver this vision.
Keeping you safe
To help you enjoy your visit, the New Vic has put measures in place to help all visitors feel as comfortable as possible:
- Please feel free to wear a face covering while at the New Vic, when walking around the venue and during the performance.
- They ask all guests to be mindful of fellow audience members when at the theatre, who may prefer to continue to keep a distance from other theatregoers while in their spaces.
- They have hand sanitiser stations positioned around the theatre, free to use by all. They are maintaining their high levels of cleanliness throughout the building, ensuring all spaces and contact surfaces are regularly sanitised.
Feeling unwell? If you, or a member of your party, are exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 prior to your visit, they politely ask you do not attend the theatre. If this is the case, please speak to a member of their box office team who will be able to talk you through options to exchange your tickets.
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Photo Credit: New Vic Theatre/Rosalind Furlong
