Mike Leigh on Abigail's Party 'albatross' Thirty-five years after it was first performed, Mike Leigh's play Abigail's Party is as popular as ever, with a successful revival set to transfer to the West End. Speaking to Today presenter Justin Webb, the director and playwright said that the play's themes - such as materialism and the strain of relationships - are "as relevant now as they ever were." But he would be "horrified" if anybody suggested it was the most important piece of work he ever made, he adds.