Who wrote the plays “Nuts in May” and “Abigail’s Party”?
"Bob Mortimer chose the film to end ""At Home with Vic and Bob"" (1993), which was an evening of programmes scheduled by the duo. Nuts in May Nuts in May is a television film devised and directed by Mike Leigh, filmed in March 1975, and originally broadcast as part of the BBC's ""Play for Today"" series on 13 January 1976. It is the comical story of a nature-loving and rather self-righteous couple's exhausting battle to enjoy what they perceive to be the idyllic camping holiday. Misunderstandings, awkward clashes of values and explosive conflicts occur when less high-minded guests pitch their"
"Abigail's Party Abigail's Party is a play for stage and television devised and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. It is a suburban situation comedy of manners, and a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that emerged in Britain in the 1970s. The play developed in lengthy improvisations during which Mike Leigh explored the characters with the actors, but did not always reveal the incidents that would occur during the play. The production opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre, and returned after its initial run in the summer of 1977, for 104 performances"
"of novels and stage plays. Some well remembered plays from the series included Mike Leigh's ""Nuts in May"" (1976) and ""Abigail's Party"" (1977), which examined the dysfunctional interactions between neighbours and married couples. Some plays, such as ""Rumpole of the Bailey"", were later made into series. Television plays became less common from the 1980s, because of a trend in 1980s television drama towards the television film which might receive limited cinema screenings before being shown on Channel 4. Another factor was a greater reliance on continuing series of the police or medical genres in a growing multi-channel environment. Nonetheless, television"
"(1971), ""The Foxtrot"" (1971), ""Home"" (1972), ""Bar Mitzvah Boy"" (1976), ""Abigail's Party"" (1977), ""Blue Remembered Hills"" (1979) and ""Just a Boys' Game"" (1979). Certain other well known plays, including ""Penda's Fen"" (1974), ""Nuts in May"" (1976), were commissioned by David Rose of the BBC's English Regions Drama department based in Birmingham. Some installments in the series were spun off into full-blown series. Probably the two best-remembered examples of this are """", which was produced as a one-off in the ""Play for Today"" strand in 1975 and three years later became a series for Thames Television, again with Leo McKern, and"
"Royal Bath as a 40th anniversary production, starring Amanda Abbington as Beverly, Ciarán Owens as Tony, Charlotte Mills as Angela, Rose Keegan as Sue and Ben Caplan as Laurence. Abigail's Party Abigail's Party is a play for stage and television devised and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. It is a suburban situation comedy of manners, and a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that emerged in Britain in the 1970s. The play developed in lengthy improvisations during which Mike Leigh explored the characters with the actors, but did not always reveal the incidents that"
"scenes happened, usually with a single bare sentence: Johnny and Sophie meet; Betty does Joy's hair; [etc.]. And it was rehearsed and rehearsed until it achieved the required quality of 'finish'."" In the 1970s, Leigh made nine television plays. Earlier plays such as ""Nuts in May"" and ""Abigail's Party"" tended more towards bleakly yet humorously satirising middle-class manners and attitudes. His plays are generally more caustic, stridently trying to show the banality of society. ""Goose-Pimples"" and ""Abigail's Party"" both focus on the vulgar middle class in a convivial party setting that spirals out of control. The television version of ""Abigail's"
"Savages (play) Savages is a play written by British playwright Christopher Hampton. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London in 1973, with leading players Paul Scofield, Tom Conti and Michael Pennington, and was published the following year by Faber and Faber. Hampton was inspired to write this play by a newspaper article titled ""Genocide"" by Norman Lewis in ""The Sunday Times"" Colour Magazine, published on 23 February 1969. This article dealt with the systematic extermination of Brazil's Indians ranging from the 16th century to the present day. The play is based on an incident in the early 1960s which"
"Footfalls Footfalls is a play by Samuel Beckett. It was written in English, between 2 March and December 1975 and was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre as part of the Samuel Beckett Festival, on May 20, 1976 directed by Beckett himself. Billie Whitelaw, for whom the piece had been written, played May whilst Rose Hill voiced the mother. The play is in four parts. Each opens with the sound of a bell. After this the lights fade up to reveal an illuminated strip along which a woman, May, paces back and forth, nine steps within a one-metre stretch."
"and ""Angel"" (2007). Duvitski first came to national attention in ""Abigail's Party"", written and directed in 1977 by Mike Leigh. The play opened in April 1977 at the Hampstead Theatre, returning after its initial run in the summer of 1977, with a total of 104 performances. A suburban situation comedy of manners, the play is a satire on the aspirations and tastes of the new middle class that had emerged in Britain in the 1970s. In November 1977 an abridged version of the play, lasting 104 minutes, was recorded at the BBC as a Play for Today. Duvitski plays Angela,"
"May Day (play) May Day is an early 17th-century stage play, a comedy written by George Chapman that was first published in 1611. ""May Day"" enters the historical record when it was printed in a quarto edition by the stationer John Browne. This was the sole edition of the play prior to the 19th century. The title page of the 1611 quarto identifies Chapman as the author, and states that the play was acted at the Blackfriars Theatre, meaning it was performed by the Children of the Blackfriars, the troupe of boy actors that staged most of Chapman's early comedies."
"The Pajama Game The Pajama Game is a musical based on the 1953 novel ""7½ Cents"" by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where workers' demands for a seven-and-a-half cent raise are going unheeded. In the midst of this ordeal, love blossoms between Babe, the grievance committee head, and Sid, the new factory superintendent. The original Broadway production opened on May 13, 1954, at the St. James Theatre, and ran for 1,063 performances, with"
"Nuts (play) Nuts is a 1979 play by Tom Topor. The play is a courtroom drama, suspense, and psychological drama — and explores sexual abuse issues, family and social power dynamics, and aspects of the criminal court system. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1987, starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. When strong-willed, high-class call girl Claudia Draper is indicted for manslaughter in the first degree after killing a client in self-defense, her mother Rose and stepfather Arthur attempt to have her declared mentally incompetent, which would prevent a trial and cause Claudia to be"
"The Cocktail Party The Cocktail Party is a play by T. S. Eliot. Elements of the play are based on ""Alcestis"", by the Ancient Greek playwright Euripides. The play was the most popular of Eliot's seven plays in his lifetime, although his 1935 play, ""Murder in the Cathedral"", is better remembered today. It was written while Eliot was a visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in 1948. ""The Cocktail Party"" was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1949. In 1950 the play had successful runs in London and New York theaters (the Broadway production received the 1950"
"has ever been planned and this perhaps accounts partly for the play's relative obscurity in comparison with other contemporary works such as ""Look Back In Anger"" and ""A Taste of Honey"". The Party (play) The Party is a play by the British dramatist, actor and director Jane Arden (1927–82) which was first staged at the New Theatre, London on 28 May 1958. The play was directed by Charles Laughton and starred, in addition to Laughton himself, Albert Finney, Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester, Ann Lynn, Joyce Redman, and John Welch. Following generally enthusiastic reviews ""The Party"" ran for six months at"
"New Girl in Town New Girl in Town is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill's 1921 play ""Anna Christie"", about a prostitute who tries to live down her past. ""New Girl"", unlike O'Neill's play, focuses on the jealousy of the character Marthy and on love's ability to conquer all. The musical ends far more hopefully than the play. The Broadway production opened on May 4, 1957 at the 46th Street Theatre, where it ran for 431 performances. The show was written as a star vehicle for Gwen"
"Leigh's 1977 play ""Abigail's Party"". On the day of Roussos' death, the actress Alison Steadman was interviewed by BBC Radio 4's ""PM"" and discussed the significance of the music in the play. Roussos' main hit ""Forever and Ever"" was later spoofed by Kenny Everett on his television show. On 15 June 2016 his children Emily and Cyril opened the Demis Roussos Museum in Nijkerk, The Netherlands. This unique museum shows his life as a musician, singer and performer as well as the character he was as a private person, by photographs, memorabilia, awards etc. It is in the Netherlands because"
"The writers aimed for a feeling of suburban darkness reminiscent of the work of the playwright Alan Ayckbourn, while commentators compared the episode to the work of the playwright and screenwriter Mike Leigh, particularly the play ""Abigail's Party"". The story addresses themes including alcoholism, extramarital affairs, aging and social class. Television critics responded positively to ""Nana's Party"", which was praised as a typically-strong instalment of ""Inside No. 9"". Particular praise was directed towards the writing and performances, especially Skinner's performance as Angela, Ashbourne's performance as Carol and Shearsmith's performance as Pat. ""Nana's Party"" was the first episode of ""Inside No."
"All Fools All Fools is an early Jacobean era stage play, a comedy by George Chapman that was first published in 1605. The play has often been considered Chapman's highest achievement in comedy: ""not only Chapman's most flawless, perfectly balanced play,"" but ""also his most human and large-minded."" ""Chapman certainly wrote no comedy in which an ingenious and well-managed plot combined so harmoniously with personages so distinctly conceived and so cleverly and divertingly executed."" ""All Fools"" entered the historical record when the Children of the Queen's Revels performed the play at Court before King James I on 1 January 1605."
"in 1828. He wrote 25 plays, the most famous of which are ""A Doll's House"" (1879), ""Ghosts"" (1881), ""The Wild Duck"" (1884), and ""Hedda Gabler"" (1890). ""A Doll's House"" and ""Ghosts"" shocked conservatives: Nora's departure in ""A Doll's House"" was viewed as an attack on family and home, while the allusions to venereal disease and sexual misconduct in ""Ghosts"" were considered deeply offensive to standards of public decency. Ibsen refined Scribe's well-made play formula to make it more fitting to the realistic style. He provided a model for writers of the realistic school. In addition, his works ""Rosmersholm"" (1886) and"
"The Fool (play) The Fool is a play by the English playwright Edward Bond. It traces the life of the poet John Clare against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, from his roots in rural East Anglia via literary success in London to his final years in a lunatic asylum. The play was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in November 1975 in a production directed by Peter Gill and featuring Tom Courtenay, David Troughton and Nigel Terry among others. After a 35-year hiatus, ""The Fool"" was revived in the UK in late 2010 as part of the six-play"
"The New Group The New Group is an artist-driven company with a commitment to developing and producing powerful, contemporary theater. Founded by Artistic Director Scott Elliott, The New Group produced its first play, Mike Leigh's ""Ecstasy"", in 1995. Notable productions include ""This Is Our Youth"", ""Curtains"", ""Goose Pimples"", ""Aunt Dan and Lemon"", ""Hurlyburly"", ""Abigail's Party"", ""Rafta, Rafta..."", ""The Starry Messenger"", and ""A Lie of the Mind, The Kid, Intimacy, The Sticks and Bones, and The Spoils. Over the past 20 years, The New Group has received more than 100 awards and nominations for excellence. The New Group's first musical, ""Avenue"
"Lucy Bailey Lucy Bailey is a British theatre director, known for productions such as ""Baby Doll"" at Britain's National Theatre and a notorious ""Titus Andronicus"" which had many members of the audience fainting. Bailey founded the Gogmagogs theatre-music group (1995–2006) and was Artistic Director and joint founder of the Print Room theatre in West London (2010-2012). She has worked extensively with Bunny Christie and other leading stage designers, including her husband William Dudley. Bailey was born in Butleigh, Somerset, England. She has stated that her favourite films include anything by Pasolini. As a teenager Bailey studied the flute but finally"
"Up in Mabel's Room (play) Up in Mabel's Room is a play written by Wilson Collison and Otto Hauerbach. Producer Albert H. Woods staged it on Broadway in 1919. Garry Ainsworth is married to Geraldine, who is jealous of his previous relationship with a pretty young widow, Mabel Essington. When they were together, Garry gave Mabel a chemise with their names embroidered on it. He wants to recover the garment before Geraldine learns of its existence. Garry's efforts are interpreted by other characters as evidence of a tryst between him and Mabel, leading to a confrontation between Mabel and Geraldine"
"of the beaujolais in the refrigerator had become standard practice: ""The gaffe has turned suave."" The TV version was released on VHS in 1984 and DVD in 2003. The play was staged in London's West End in 2003 with Elizabeth Berrington as Beverly. It was revived in Wolverhampton at the Grand Theatre (2005), and at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter (2006). Interviewed in 2009, writer Leigh said: ""Of course I recognise the enduring popularity of ""Abigail's Party"". It still hits a nerve about the way we live. It's real even though it's apparently a heightened and comic play. It's a"
"2014 it transferred to the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre. The West End transfer received positive reviews from a number of national media outlets. The production ran for a limited season at the Shaftesbury Theatre, closing on 13 September 2014. The Pajama Game The Pajama Game is a musical based on the 1953 novel ""7½ Cents"" by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where workers' demands for a seven-and-a-half cent raise are going unheeded. In"
"Prince,"" ""Hometown Holiday"", ""A Dog in Paris"", ""The Customer"", ""Behanding"", ""The Mechanical Boy"", ""Bloodslinger"", ""Darts"" and ""Speak Your Mind."" Paul Nicholas Mason Paul Nicholas Mason (born 1958) is an English-born Canadian novelist, playwright, and actor. Mason has published two plays, ""The Discipline Committee"" and ""Circles of Grace"" (1995), which have been produced in Canada, Ireland and the United States. His play ""Sister Camille's Kaleidoscopic Cabaret"" won the Christians in Theatre Arts Full Length Play award in 1996, and premiered in Michigan in 1998. Mason's first novel, ""Battered Soles"", was published by Turnstone Press in 2005. The novel celebrates a fictional"
"The Assembled Parties The Assembled Parties is a play written by Richard Greenberg. It relates the story of a Jewish family living on the Upper West Side of New York City over a twenty-year period, from 1980 to 2000. The play, which premiered on Broadway in 2013, received three Tony Award nominations, including for Best Play. The play opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in a Manhattan Theatre Club production on April 17, 2013 after previews from March 21, 2013. Directed by Lynne Meadow the play features Judith Light as Faye, Jessica Hecht as Julie, Jonathan Walker"
"unknown plays as well as classics. Bailey and Winters say that they first conceived the Print Room over a large glass of wine at the National Theatre. After Lucy Bailey's departure, Anda Winters moved the theatre to the Coronet Cinema. Lucy Bailey Lucy Bailey is a British theatre director, known for productions such as ""Baby Doll"" at Britain's National Theatre and a notorious ""Titus Andronicus"" which had many members of the audience fainting. Bailey founded the Gogmagogs theatre-music group (1995–2006) and was Artistic Director and joint founder of the Print Room theatre in West London (2010-2012). She has worked extensively"
"published by Samuel French, which has been performed around the world. Cashmore wrote the following full-length plays and pantomimes: ""What's in a name?"", ""Amber"", ""Trip of a Lifetime"", ""Time Please"", ""A Breed Apart"", ""Amy is Four"", ""Unaccommodated"", ""Bride or Groom?"", ""Seating Plan"", ""New Year's Resolution"". Cashmore wrote three one-act plays: ""Past Lives"", ""Daughter"", and ""Him, Her and Them"". He also performed in two one-man shows, ""An Everyday Actor"" and ""Bill's Clothes"". In 2017, he was selected as the Green Party candidate for Chelsea and Fulham, where he stood for parliament in the 2017 General Election. Cashmore died on 9 November"
"two theatres with the profits, the Aldwych Theatre and the Hicks Theatre (now the Gielgud). ""Bluebell in Fairyland"" was first produced at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on 18 December 1901 and played for two performances daily until it closed on 26 June 1902, running for 300 performances. It starred Hicks as Dicky and his wife, Ellaline Terriss, as the title character. Phyllis Dare played Mab. Costumes were by C. Wilhelm. The play was a critical and financial hit; it was revived regularly in London over the next four decades and played in other theatres throughout Britain and elsewhere in"
"Engaged (play) Engaged is a three-act farcical comic play by W. S. Gilbert. The plot revolves around a rich young man, his search for a wife, and the attempts – from mercenary motives – by his uncle to encourage his marriage and by his best friend to prevent it. After frantic complications and changes of allegiance, all the main characters end up paired off, more or less to their satisfaction. The play opened at the Haymarket Theatre in London on 3 October 1877, the year before Gilbert's first great success with the composer Arthur Sullivan in their comic opera ""H.M.S."
"Born in the Gardens Born In The Gardens is a comedy play by Bristol-born playwright Peter Nichols. Nichols wrote the play in 1979, after his now famous drama ""Privates On Parade"" was rejected by the Bristol Old Vic for being too controversial. ""Born In The Gardens"" was staged in the Theatre Royal (now the Bristol Old Vic) to celebrate its 200th anniversary. The cast for the premiere included Beryl Reid, Peter Bowles, Barry Foster and Jennie Linden and the production transferred to the Globe Theatre in London where it played for nine months. Reid won the Society of West End"
"May 1987, produced by Shaun Sutton, and directed by Barry Davis. Channel 4's ""Blow Your Mind – See a Show"" series included a short extract from the play. Featuring Brian Cox as Doctor Prentice, Frances Barber as Mrs Prentice, and Clive Owen as Nicholas Beckett, it was transmitted on 18 September 1995. The play was revived in 1994 at The Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Robert Delamere and run from 7 April to 7 May. In the same year, a Royal National Theatre production of the play premiered at Theatre Royal, Bath. The production moved to the RNT′s Lyttelton Theatre"