Monster or just lonely? Mike Leigh’s legendarily-awful hostess heads to Southsea

Jo is playing Susan, one of the guests in Leigh’s smash-hit play Abigail’s Party which plays The Kings Theatre, Southsea from Wednesday, August 9-Saturday, August 12 in a production from London Classic Theatre which has been on the road since March.

Directed by Michael Cabot, it offers a ferocious black comedy, a landmark of 20th-century theatre.

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. 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 offers a ruthlessly funny examination of 1970s British life.

“It has been great,” Jo says “We've had such a great response from people that know the show from seeing the iconic TV version but also people who've never seen it before. There is a lot of laughter but it has also got a very dark edge. I think people really do relate to those awful parties where too much alcohol is drunk! We've got a fantastic set which is completely authentic apart from this extraordinary back wall which is like a cut-out magnified 70s wallpaper.”

And on the set for added authenticity there's even one of Jo's mother’s Dubonnet bottles from the era. She found it during a house clearance but, no, was not tempted to try it!

As for Beverly, played by Rebecca Birch: “I think Rebecca is phenomenal in the role. People talk about Beverly being a monster but I do think you can really see in our production her insecurity and her loneliness that really come out. You can see this woman who is just really trying to have the best possible classy party… at least in her own view. She is doing her best to be the best society hostess she can but she is so keen for everybody to have a good time that she becomes very forceful. My character really does not want to have too much to drink but she doesn't have a choice!

“But I really love Beverly. I think you just see that she is really lonely. The relationship with her husband is not working and in fact none of the characters have a good relationship and you see these cracks appear in both couples, and I do think you just find yourself really feeling for her in these circumstances and I do think we can really love her character too.

“I know that Rebecca didn't watch the TV version because she didn't want to feel the pressure of thinking of Alison Steadman in the role but I've seen it myself quite a few times and I think actually once you get into rehearsals you just forget about that anyway because what you have in front of you is the script. And I think our production has grown (in the months they have been on the road). That's what happens when you are playing with something every night. Some of the comedy that might not have come out at the start is certainly coming out now, and playing in different venues helps keep it fresh.”