London Classic Theatre Extends UK and Ireland Tour of ABIGAIL'S PARTY

London Classic Theatre has announced fourteen further venues for its smash-hit UK and Ireland tour. Abigail's Party extends its run for three months until 7 October. The entire cast of Rebecca Birch (Beverly), Jo Castleton (Susan), Alice De-Warrenne (Angela), George Readshaw (Tony) and Tom Richardson (Laurence) are confirmed to continue their roles in this production directed by Michael Cabot

Abigail's Party premièred at Hampstead Theatre in 1977, with the role of Beverly being immortalised by Alison Steadman. The tour, which was originally scheduled to conclude in Wales at Venue Cymru on 15 July, will continue to Theatre Royal Bath from 17-19 July, Greenwich Theatre from 2-5 August and Dundee Rep Theatre from 26-30 September.  With 14 new venues on board, the tour will now finish its run at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from 3-7 October.

Artistic Director of London Classic Theatre, Michael Cabot said today, “I'm delighted to announce that our Abigail's Party tour is extending for an additional twelve weeks and especially pleased that the original cast are all continuing through until October. They are a terrific ensemble and their work on the show is doing us proud. We made a real effort in rehearsals to dig deep and discover new things in these five iconic characters, and the fact the production continues to evolve and find new resonance is testament to this. At a time when touring theatre has been struggling to redefine its place in the post-COVID era, it's extremely heartening that the buzz around this show has generated an exceptional level of new interest from venues all over the UK.”

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).

Tour Dates

Theatre Royal Bath

17-19 July

Box Office: 01225 448844 / https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/

Beck Theatre, Hayes

24-26 July

Box office: 0343 310 0044 / https://becktheatre.org.uk/

Lyceum Theatre, Crewe

28-30 July

Box office: 0343 310 0050 / https://crewelyceum.co.uk/

Greenwich Theatre

2-5 August

Box office: 020 8858 7755 / https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/

Kings Theatre, Portsmouth

9-12 August

Box office: 0239 282 8282 / https://www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk/

Palace Theatre, Southend

29-31 August

Box office: 0343 310 0030 / https://southendtheatres.org.uk/

Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden

1-2 September

Box office: 01582 767525 / https://the-emc.co.uk/

Queens Theatre, Barnstaple

4-6 September

Box office: 01271 316523 / https://www.queenstheatre-barnstaple.com/

Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton

7-8 September

Box office: 01823 283 244 / https://www.tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk/

Wyvern Theatre, Swindon

11-13 September

Box office: 0343 310 0040 / https://swindontheatres.co.uk/

Artsdepot, North Finchley

15-16 September

Box office: 020 8369 5454 / https://www.artsdepot.co.uk/

Haymarket Basingstoke

19-23 September

Box office: 012156 844244 / https://www.anvilarts.org.uk/

Dundee Rep Theatre

26-30 September

Box office: 01382 223530 / https://dundeerep.co.uk/

New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich

3-7 October

Box Office: 01473 2959000 / https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/