After a pause for the Folk Festival, the Summer Play Festival is back on stage at the Manor Pavilion Theatre.

It resumes on Monday, August 12 with the opening of Mike Leigh’s acerbic 1970s comedy drama, Abigail’s Party.

Leigh’s acclaimed stage play was filmed for television as part of BBC’s Play for Today series in 1977 and charts the bleak souring of marital relations at a suburban drinks party. Mike Leigh himself described the play as a tragi-comedy.

The role of monstrous social hostess, Beverley, originally created by Alison Steadman, will be played by Stephanie Willson, last seen in Sidmouth playing Clarissa in Spider’s Web. 

In the play, Susan is taking refuge from her teenage daughter Abigail’s party, and has joined Beverly and her husband Lawrence and their new neighbours, Tony and Angela, for what turns out to be an awkward evening of alcohol-fuelled marital tension amidst cheesy pineapples as the increasingly thudding beat of loud rock music filters in from the party down the road.

The play is directed by Andrew Beckett, who is also producing the Play Festival and designing all 12 sets.

Full details can be found at https://www.manorpavilion.com/whats-on