  "A group of friends and I enjoyed a very entertaining evening last Wednesday at the
Gulf Hotel's latest dinner/theatre event. The
UK Touring Theatre's performance of Mike Leigh's brilliant comedy was excellent, and the dinner served before the play began was first rate. Abigail's Party was originally screened on British television in 1977 as part
of the BBC's Play for Today series and is one of Mike Leigh's most celebrated pieces. His then-wife, Alison Steadman, was brilliantly cast in the lead role of Beverly and won a number of awards for her performance.
The play is set in 1977, the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Daring new pop groups like the Sex Pistols are about to drive more gentle performers such as Demis Roussos out of the charts forever. Suburban Britain is awash with the new money and social aspirations that will eventually see the Conservatives becoming the governing political party for the next twenty years.
 Laurence and Beverly are entertaining their new neighbours, Angela and Tony, for an evening
of cocktails and music. They have also invited another neighbour, Susan, to
join them while her teenage daughter, Abigail, throws
a party. Abigail never appears in the play but her lively teenage party becomes a distant background to an excruciating evening of chilled red wine, olives and the music of Demis Roussos.
The overbearing Beverley is a frustrated suburban housewife striving to be something more than she really is. Laurence, her stressed out husband, is a second-rate businessman. Angela,
a rather dense nurse lacking in self-confidence, Tony, Angela's reserved husband, and Sue, the gangly and miserably nervous mother of Abigail, are
the only other cast members. The play progresses through a series of embarrassing,
but highly amusing, exchanges of dialogue, while unnatural social uneasiness quietly
and intensely rages,
and eventually culminates in tragedy.
Libby Machin was exceptional in the part of Beverly, the hostess. Attempting, and just failing to be the sophisticated hostess she strives to be, she played the role exactly right and I'm sure anyone in the audience who saw the original television production or video couldn't help but be impressed with her performance.
Richard Mann was the fractious and terse Tony and produced a masterly piece of acting considering his part consisted of few words. Amanda Osborne, as Susan, conveyed the tension of a parent worried about her daughter's party while trying to cope with the strained social situation in which she found herself. Mario Vernazza as Laurence and Kyra Williams as Angela also gave very competent performances.
The UK Touring Theatre is a new company performing classic and contemporary plays to English speaking audiences worldwide, and is particularly focused on bringing entertainment to expatriate communities. Their patrons are Dame Judi Dench and Sir Michael Gambon, both internationally renowned for their roles on stage and screen."
“Regarding the performance of the UKTT here in Bahrain in December of Abigail's Party I must say: "Performed par excellence'!! The team meshed well, shared grandiose chemistry amongst each other in their respective roles. The 'Alpha' female Beverly beautifully and authentically performed by Ms Machin definitely underlined the entire performance and hence, evening. Thanks so much for this colourful, 70's style - trance for the evening. When will UKTT be back?”
 “Abigail's Party was a fantastic piece of theatre, well complemented by
the dinner theatre format. The performances were all of an extremely high
standard and the 'in-the-round' presentation added an interesting dimension
to the play.
The discussion session with the cast following
the performance
was also extremely beneficial.”
“I remember Abigail’s Party very well and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Two of the things I dearly miss from the UK, whilst living in Qatar, are theatrical performances and musical concerts. As we are starved of the Arts, we certainly look forward to more of the same. The actors and actresses were talented and I know the performance was a great success. We eagerly await UKTTs’ next visit”
”This was an innovative and polished production which leant a new perspective to
this classic comedy text. The performances were beautifully observed and clearly communicated throughout. The 'added extra' of the post-performance discussion
made for a thoroughly educational as well as highly entertaining evening for the students who attended.”
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