Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh

Author:Mike Leigh
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241981337
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2017-01-12T16:00:00+00:00

BEVERLY: Great.

[Beverly collects her drink and sits. Laurence returns from the kitchen. Pause.]

LAURENCE: Right now: who’s for a drink? Tony, light ale?

TONY: Not just yet, thank you.

BEVERLY: Go on; Tone, have a light ale, ’cos he got them specially for you.

LAURENCE: If he doesn’t want one, he doesn’t have to have one, Beverly. Sue?

SUSAN: No, thank you.

LAURENCE: Angela?

ANGELA: No, I’m all right, thanks.

LAURENCE: Beverly?

BEVERLY: No, I’m fine, thank you.

LAURENCE: Laurence? Yes, please. [He gets his glass.] Thanks very much.

[Only Angela laughs. Laurence pours his drink.]

LAURENCE: Well, the party certainly seems to be hotting up at your place, Sue.

SUSAN: Yes … so Beverly said.

BEVERLY: Yeah, we were just saying, actually, Laurence, it might be a good idea if a little bit later on, if you and Tony would pop down there.

LAURENCE: What for?

BEVERLY: Just to check that everything’s all right, for Sue – put Sue’s mind at rest. Because I know she’s a little bit worried.

SUSAN: I think it’ll be all right.

LAURENCE: Yes, Sue, I don’t think there’ll be any problems.

SUSAN: No.

BEVERLY: Laurence, I’m not saying there’ll be any problems – all I’m saying is, would you please pop down for Sue?

ANGELA: You don’t mind, do you, Tony?

BEVERLY: No, of course he doesn’t mind.

TONY: No, I don’t mind.

LAURENCE: Well, I’ve just been past, and everything seems to be all right.

ANGELA: Didn’t you see what was happening in the garden?

LAURENCE: Well – yes …

ANGELA: The couple, snogging through the window?

LAURENCE: Through the window?

ANGELA: With the dirty vest?

LAURENCE: No. No, I saw a couple down the side of the house, and there were a few in the porch. But I didn’t see anybody in the window.

TONY: Would you like to sit down here, Laurence?

LAURENCE: No, no – you stay where you are.

ANGELA: No, sit here – there’s plenty of room.

LAURENCE: Thank you.

[Laurence sits on the sofa between Angela and Susan.]

LAURENCE: Anyway, Sue: these sort of things, they happen at parties.

SUSAN: Yes, of course.

LAURENCE: I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.

SUSAN: No.

BEVERLY: Actually, Laurence, I think you’re being very unfair to Sue.

SUSAN: Oh, not at all.

BEVERLY: Now, Sue, don’t make excuses for him. And apart from anything else, Tony has already agreed to go actually.

LAURENCE: Oh, have you?

TONY: Yeah.

LAURENCE: Yes, well, I didn’t say I wouldn’t go. If she wants us to go down there, surely, of course we’ll go.

SUSAN: Well, I don’t know that I do, really.

LAURENCE: Fine.

ANGELA: Tony doesn’t mind going on his own, do you?

TONY: No, I don’t.

LAURENCE: I didn’t say I wouldn’t go.

BEVERLY: Fine, then, Laurence, are you going, please?

LAURENCE: Yes.

BEVERLY: Thank you.

LAURENCE: That’s quite all right.

[Pause.]

BEVERLY: I’m not saying there’ll be any trouble, but, with teenagers, they have a drink, and they get over-excited –

ANGELA: Yes, well, it starts with one kiss …

BEVERLY: –then they find their way to the bedrooms.

[Pause.

Sue flicks ash from her cigarette.]

LAURENCE: Sue: do you like olives?

SUSAN: Yes.

LAURENCE [getting up]: Fine: I’ll get you some!

SUSAN: Thank you.

[Laurence goes to the kitchen.]

BEVERLY: You’ve got a friend for life there, Sue.

SUSAN: Oh?

BEVERLY: None of us like olives, you see.

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