A very welcome addition!

Jodie Palmer will be director's assistant and co-production manager on AP, and she's going to be a very welcome addition to the team. Jodie was brilliant backstage during last year's production of Grease at the Opera House, managing to orchestrate the challenging set changes with great aplomb. With AP she'll have a whole new set of challenges including co-ordinating rehearsals, liaising with cast and crew and understudying the three female roles. Great to have you on board Jodie!

Model box of Repertory stage

Here's the model box of the Repertory stage and the very beginnings of the set design for AP. In this production we will be using the full depth of the stage with the front door clearly visible upstage. The kitchen will also be more visible than in other productions, allowing the audience a simultaneous view of action in the kitchen and the lounge. A lot more work to do on the set design still, so watch this space...

The Wings of Love

Now this is more like it according to Beverly - the iconic masterpiece The Wings of Love by Stephen Pearson. Laurence thinks it's pornographic trash, however, and banishes it to the bedroom.

Vincent's Yellow Chair

Art crops up in conversation from time to time during AP, and according to Laurence this is the height of artistic 'good taste' - his framed reproduction of a genuine Van Gogh. Beverly, of course, disagrees...

Forever and Ever

And here's another of Beverly's favourite crooners, Mr Demis Roussos, singing her favourite track Forever and Ever. This is the song she's eager to play to her guests, while performing an impromptu solo dance around the coffee table. Unfortunately Laurence doesn't share her enthusiasm, dismissing him as 'that fat greek'.

Love to Love You Baby!

Gorgeous 1970s music plays an important part in AP, so here's a clip of the incomparable Miss Donna Summer performing her classic hit Love to Love You Baby. This is one of Beverly's all time favourite songs and it's the record she puts on the turntable at the start of the play - the perfect song for Beverly to 'get in the mood' before her guests arrive.

First read-through

Here's the AP cast hard at work during the first read-through at Repertory. From left to right, clockwise around the table: Troy Taylor (Tony), Karen Ellett (Angela), Talia Annear-Kjoss (Beverly), Linda Kerfoot (Susan), and Peter Dilloway (Laurence). Dee Brough, our stalwart prompt and production manager, is in the background.
The read-though went extremely well, and hearing the play read aloud for the first time made it really come alive. Some fantastically funny moments!

First production meeting

Last night we had our first production meeting for AP where we talked about crew, promotion and technical stuff. We're almost covered for crew (fingers crossed!) and promotional events will be coming thick and fast during the build-up to opening night. One event which promises to be great fun is an appeal to the public for unwanted seventies gear (carpets, fabric, furnishings etc), with tickets to AP for prize winners.
All set for first read-through tonight - hope to post a few photos!

Auditions a success! AP has been cast

Hello and welcome to the very first post on the Abigail's Party (AP) blog! Auditions on Sunday were a great success and the production has been officially cast. The following fabulous actors will be appearing in this gorgeous seventies play which runs at Repertory from 31st March to 9th April 2011.

Beverly - Talia Annear-Kjoss
Laurence - Peter Dilloway
Angela - Karen Ellett
Tony - Troy Taylor
Susan - Linda Kerfoot

Check back for regular blog updates as we count down to opening night. First read-through is tomorrow evening so watch this space!