Abigail’s Party
By Mike Leigh
Directed by Gary Cook
10 - 13 December 2025
Players Archives
Decades
Members
By first name
1977: Suburbia. Beverley Moss invites her new neighbours, Angela and Tony, who moved into the road just two weeks ago, over for drinks. She has also invited her neighbour Susan (Sue), divorced for three years, whose fifteen-year-old daughter Abigail is holding a party at her home.
Beverley’s husband Laurence comes home late from work, just before the guests arrive. The gathering starts off in a stiff fashion as the virtual strangers tentatively gather, until Beverley and Laurence start sniping at each other.
As Beverley serves more drinks, and the alcohol takes effect, Beverley flirts more and more overtly with Tony, as Laurence sits impotently by.
After a tirade when Beverley insists on showing off her kitsch artwork, the evening descends into a maelstrom of hilarity and heartbreak…
Abigail’s Party is directed by Gary Cook, who has previously directed several highly successful plays for the Players, including Turn of the Screw and Muswell Hill.
Angela – Ellie Mason
Laurence – James Witt
Susan – Katherine James
Beverley – Victoria Storm-Collins
Tony – Ryan Etherington
DIRECTOR – Gary Cook
PRODUCER / ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – Debbie Creissen
DEPUTY DIRECTOR / ASM – Lex Lake
ASSISTANT to DIRECTORS – Zarrina Danaeva
STAGE MANAGER / DSM – Pete Dilloway
SET DESIGN & BUILD MANAGER – Martin Oakley
PROPERTIES – Jo Hall
LIGHTING DESIGN – Martin Oakley
LIGHTING OPERATOR – Russell Pittman
SOUND DESIGN – Gary Cook
SOUND OPERATOR – Jeff Woodford
ADVERTISING & PROGRAMME DESIGN /
ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHY – Gary Cook
WARDROBE – Milla Hills, Daisy Haste
REHEARSAL PROMPT – Amanda Reeves
SET CONSTRUCTION TEAM – Len Shipton, Joe Eggleston,
Martin Oakley, Dave Otway, Simon Armes,
Dean Common, Ray Mason, Ron Lainchbury
PUBLICITY TEAM – Hilary Smith, Anita Jones (social media),
Frank Horsley
