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Opined November 25, 2006
ABIGAIL'S PARTY By Mike Leigh; directed by Scott Elliott
WITH: Max Baker (Laurence), Lisa Emery (Susan), Darren Goldstein (Tony), Elizabeth
Jasicki (Angela) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (Beverly).
Set by Derek McLane; Costumes by Eric Becker; Lighting by Jason Lyons;
The New Group. Acorn Theater, Theater Row, 410 West 42nd Street (212) 279-4200. Through
January 7, 2006.
This play gave me a headache – in all the good ways, I suppose. First of all it reminded me of the late
1970’s which is frightening enough, what with all the polyester, bad music and bad hair. But what it
really reminded me of was the number of parties to which I went where I wanted to leave within 5
minutes. I’d get someplace and discover that the other people at the party and I were just not on the
same runway. They would be telling jokes I didn’t think were funny, or gossiping about people I didn’
t know – and not doing it well enough so that I was included in on the story, or else they were serving
food that didn’t eat: Vienna sausages or Cheese Doodles or sliced Bologna. I never had the guts to
turn around at the door and leave. So sorry but the cat’s having kittens tonight – just remembered!
Gotta go. I was trapped more than once, and this play brought them ALL back,
The collection of people at this party have nothing to say to one another, and do so for two hours. It
is Mike Leigh at top speed and raw, which means the pace is slow and deeply painful. For me
anyway. For the first 20 minutes or so I was sitting in the audience groaning. Not because of bad
acting or poor production qualities. But just for the sheer pain of the whole evening.
The play is performed in real time (and has an unnecessary intermission). A small party in a “new”
suburb in nowhere England, 1977. Beverly has invited a new couple, as well Abigail's mother, over
for cocktails. Abigail’s party is happening elsewhere. Its music is audible and gives this group one
common thread. There is no other. Yet they try and try, like Cinderella’s sister with the glass slipper,
to make it fit. Over the course of the evening they each down roughly 8 –12 drinks. They get sick,
drunk, promiscuous, argumentative, and dead (just one).
Elizabeth Jasicki as Angele brings a thankless part to life with grace and simplicity. She is the geeky
neighbor who seems to have been invited because her husband is an ex-football player and is therefore
an “item”. She is a barely a second thought to anyone present. A tough position as a character and an
actor and Kasicki is on the mark all the way through. Less satisfying was Jason Leigh who has
perfected a voice that could remove spinal columns and projects it and her character’s sorry attitude
like a Gatling gun set a few notches too slow. It wears like a heavy chain necklace - from the 1970’s
of course. Had she played this part differently, I might have enjoyed the production more.
But, perhaps enjoyment is not what Mr. Leigh had in mind.
©2005 Tulis McCall