Want to play your part in this famous production? Time to get your show pack…

Southwick Players are excited to announce auditions for their December production of Abigail’s Party, directed by Gary Cook. This iconic comedy-drama by Mike Leigh offers a deliciously uncomfortable evening of social satire and simmering tension, set in a 1970s suburban living room.

Originally made famous by its 1977 BBC broadcast, Abigail’s Party remains as sharply relevant today as it was then.

But this isn’t just a tribute act. Cook will be working from the full unabridged script and bringing a fresh approach to the material, encouraging actors to find their own voices in the roles rather than replicating the performances of the past.

The story centres around Beverley Moss, who invites her new neighbours Angela and Tony over for drinks, along with Susan, another neighbour whose teenage daughter Abigail is having a party next door.

As the evening unfolds, polite conversation gives way to alcohol-fuelled awkwardness, flirtation, passive-aggression and unexpected emotional punches. All the while, Abigail’s unseen party rumbles in the background, adding an extra layer of tension.

Shining a contemporary light on productions

Gary describes the production as a companion piece to Muswell Hill, which he directed for the Players in 2024. “That show looked at modern life through the lens of a dinner party in 2010. Abigail’s Party shows us something similar from the other end – suburbia in 1977, packed with social performance, class anxiety, and midlife crises.”

The script is an absolute gift for actors, with five well-drawn roles packed with humour and emotional depth:

• Beverley Moss (30–45). Confident, glamorous and desperate to impress, Beverley’s brash exterior hides insecurity and vulnerability. A beautician turned hostess with ideas above her station.
• Laurence Moss (30–45). Beverley’s husband, an estate agent with a love of Beethoven and classic literature. Constantly undermined, he hides his frustration behind cultural snobbery.
• Angela Cooper (30–45). A sweet but tactless nurse with surprising strength and practicality beneath the surface.
• Tony Cooper (30–45). Angela’s husband, a tense, brooding ex-footballer who now works in computing. Quiet and simmering, with an undercurrent of suppressed anger.
• Susan Lawson (30–45). A sensible, middle-class divorcée trying to stay afloat during an evening that spirals into absurdity.

What you need to know

Auditions will take place on Sunday 28 September, 3–6pm at Southwick Community Centre. A read-through will follow on Monday 6 October, with rehearsals starting on Wednesday 8 October. Rehearsals will run on Monday and Wednesday evenings, with some additional Sundays as needed.

Performances will take place at the Barn Theatre, Southwick from 10 to 13 December, including a Saturday matinee.

Actors are asked to commit fully to the rehearsal schedule. And they must become members of Southwick Players if cast. However, you do not need to be a member to audition.

This is a brilliant opportunity for actors to be part of a well-loved classic that still speaks volumes about relationships, class and the quiet chaos of social gatherings.

To receive the full show pack, including audition pieces, character notes and rehearsal dates, email: show.pack@southwickplayers.org.uk