The renowned London Classic Theatre have announced the full cast for their UK and Ireland tour of Mike Leigh’s classic comedy, Abigail’s Party. Michael Cabot, the founder and artistic director of London Classic Theatre, directs Rebecca Birch (Beverly), Jo Castleton (Susan), Alice De-Warrenne (Angela), George Readshaw (Tony) and Tom Richardson(Laurence).
Abigail’s Party premièred at Hampstead Theatre in 1977, with the role of Beverly being immortalised by Alison Steadman. London Classic Theatre’s new tour opens at Theatre Royal in Winchester on March 1st, before touring to a further nineteen venues across the UK and to the only venue in Ireland, The Everyman, Cork from May 29th to June 2nd.
Artistic Director of London Classic Theatre, Michael Cabot said today: “I am delighted to announce the cast for our 2023 tour of Abigail’s Party. Our casting process lies at the centre of everything we do as a company and is fundamental to the work we produce. Not only do we see as many candidates as we can, but we always go through a rigorous recall process where we watch various combinations of actors and how they work together. Putting together the right ensemble is something I have always taken incredibly seriously as those decisions have such a key impact on the work. Our policy has always been to draw from our incredible ‘core company’ as well as opening the door to as many new faces as possible. In this instance, two of the cast are returning to us from previous shows and the remaining three actors are new to the LCT fold. I think we have assembled a first-rate company of actors with impeccable theatre pedigree and can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with them.”
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 at Hampstead Theatre in London, Mike Leigh and his cast were putting the finishing touches to Abigail’s Party, ferocious black comedy and landmark of twentieth-century theatre.
In her suburban living room, Beverly 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, Mike Leigh’s ruthless, achingly funny examination of 1970’s British life begins…
Rebecca Birch plays Beverly, returning to London Classic Theatre following My Mother Said I Never Should (UK tour). Her other theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, Ghosts Of The Titanic (Frinton Summer Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Half Cut Theatre), The Girl On The Train (English Theatre Frankfurt), Horrible Christmas (Winter Gardens Blackpool/Birmingham Stage Company), The Sea (NT Studios), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lyric Hammersmith/Filter Theatre), The Beggar’s Opera, The Secret Seven (Storyhouse Theatre Chester), Alice in Wonderland (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), A Tale of Two Cities (Royal & Derngate/Touring Consortium), Relative Values (Theatre Royal Bath/West End), Variation on a Theme (Finborough Theatre), Health Wealth (Old Vic New Voices), Pygmalion (Garrick Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre) and The Master Builder (Chichester Festival Theatre). For television, her credits include The Commuter – Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K Dick and Victoria.
Jo Castleton plays Susan, returning to London Classic Theatre following Boeing Boeing (UK tour). Her other theatre credits include Vincent River (Bridge Theatre, Brussels), War Horse (National Theatre), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre/Gielgud Theatre), Dangerous Corner (Nottingham Playhouse), Round and Round the Garden, Table Manners, A Murder is Announced, Deathtrap, Murder Weapon, Suddenly at Home (Eastbourne Theatres/UK tour), Shock (Nottingham Theatre Royal), Twist of Gold (Polka Theatre), Beauty and the Beast, Oh, What a Lovely War!, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Wind in the Willows, The Wizard of Oz, A Christmas Carol (Haymarket Basingstoke), Elephant 21 (Royal Court Theatre), Family Man (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Ghost Train, Sailor Beware, Lilies on the Land, Daisy Pulls It Off (UK tours), and The Magic Flute, The Mystery Plays, Oliver Twist and Shakers (Liverpool Playhouse). For television, her credits include Suspicion and Somewhere Boy.
Alice De-Warrenne plays Angela. Her theatre credits include Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever (Theatre Royal Haymarket/UK tour), The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Pinocchio (Greenwich Theatre), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Globe), Reformation (White Bear Theatre), Bing Live (UK tour), Wrecked (VAULT Festival), Santa’s Invitation (Ductac Dubai), Under My Thumb (Greenwich Theatre/New Diorama/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), A Night at the Bard (Floods Tavern), Hay Fever (Upstairs at The Gatehouse/UK tour), Alice in Wonderland (UAE tour) and The Wind in the Willows (Waterloo East Theatre). For television, her credits include Black Ops.
George Readshaw plays Tony. His theatre credits include Moonlight and Magnolias (Frinton Summer Theatre), Indecent Proposal (Southwark Playhouse), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (UK tour), A Christmas Carol (Bristol Old Vic) and Flies (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). For television, his credits include Extraordinary. Readshaw is the co-founder of Half Cut Theatre, a young touring theatre
company set up in the midst of the pandemic.
Tom Richardson plays Laurence. His theatre credits include The Snow Queen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar (Storyhouse Theatre Chester), Sherlock, Private Lives, Little Women (Pitlochry Festival Theatre/Watford Palace), Much Ado About Nothing, Lady Chatterley’s Lover (UK tour), As You Like It, She Stoops To Conquer, Twelfth Night, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Guildford Shakespeare Company), The Prince and The Pauper (New Vic), Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, Sense and Sensibility, Single Spies, Dial ‘M’ For Murder, The Rivals, Watch It Sailor! (Theatre by the Lake/York Theatre Royal), Elton John’s Glasses (Watford Palace Theatre), The Merry Wives of Windsor, Romeo and Juliet, The Wind in The Willows, Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors (Chester Performs), The White Carnation (Jermyn Street Theatre), Roots (Nottingham Playhouse), and The Winter’s Tale, The Rivals, The Grapes of Wrath, and Arsenic and Old Lace (Mercury Theatre)
Michael Cabot directs and is the founder and Artistic Director of London Classic Theatre. He has directed all forty-four LCT productions since their touring debut in 2000, including Boeing Boeing, Same Time, Next Year, Absurd Person Singular, No Man’s Land, My Mother Said I Never Should, Private Lives, Hysteria, The Birthday Party, Waiting for Godot, Absent Friends and Equus. His recent freelance work as director includes three collaborations with award-winning playwright Henry Naylor, The Collector (Arcola Theatre/UK tour), Angel and Borders (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Adelaide Fringe & Brits Off Broadway).
London Classic Theatre presents
ABIGAIL’S PARTY
by Mike Leigh
Cast: Rebecca Birch (Beverly), Jo Castleton (Susan), Alice De-Warrenne (Angela), George Readshaw (Tony) and Tom Richardson (Laurence).
Directed by Michael Cabot; Designed by Bek Palmer; Lighting by Matthew Green
Box office: 021 4501 673 or www.everymancork.com
ABIGAILS PARTY
LISTINGS
Theatre Royal, Winchester
1-4 March
Press Night: Thursday 2 March
Box office: 01962 840 440 / www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk
Marina Theatre, Lowestoft
7 – 8 March
Box office: 01502 533200 / www.marinatheatre.co.uk
Civic Theatre, Chelmsford
9 – 11 March
Box office: 01245 606505 / www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk
Warwick Arts Centre
14 – 18 March
Box office: 02476496000 / www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Cambridge Arts Centre
21 – 25 March
Box office: 01223 503333 / www.cambridgeartstheatre.com
Cast, Doncaster
30 March – 1 April
Box office: 01302 303 959 / www.castindoncaster.com
New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 – 15 April
Box office: 01782 717 962 / www.newvictheatre.org.uk
Churchill Theatre, Bromley
19 – 22 April
Box office: 0343 310 0020 / www. churchilltheatre.co.uk
Derby Theatre, Derby
21 – 25 June
Box office: 01332 593939 / www.derbytheatre.co.uk
New Theatre Royal, Lincoln
1 – 2 May
Box office: 01522 519999 / www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk
The Atkinson, Southport
4 – 6 May
Box office: 01704 533 333 / www.theatkinson.co.uk
Perth Theatre, Perth
9 – 13 May
Box office: 01738 62103 / www.perththeatreandconcerthall.com
Eden Court, Inverness
17 – 20 May
Box office: 01463234234 / www.eden-court.co.uk
Everyman Theatre, Cork
29 May – 2 June
Box office: 021 450 1673 / www.everymancork.com
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne
6 – 11 June
Box office: 01323 412000 / www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk
Darlington Hippodrome
13 – 17 June
Box office: 01325 405405 / https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Exeter Northcott
20 – 24 June
Box office: 01392 726363 / www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
27 June – 1 July
Box office: 01284 769505 / www.theatreroyal.org
Malvern Theatres
4 – 8 July
Box office: 01684 892277 / www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
11 – 15 July
Box office: 01492 872000 / www.venuecymru.co.uk
