{"product_id":"book-10y6","title":"Abigail's Party \u0026 Too Much of a Good Thing","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrenda Blethyn, Lesley Manville and Phil Davis star in this special Mike Leigh collection, featuring the iconic hit \u003ci\u003eAbigail's Party\u003c\/i\u003e and a banned play from the BBC archives\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of Britain's most prolific and influential writers, Mike Leigh has directed some of the best British films of the last 50 years, including \u003ci\u003eLife is Sweet, Secrets \u0026amp; Lies\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eVera Drake\u003c\/i\u003e. He has written a plethora of plays for the BBC, among them the bleakly comic drama \u003ci\u003eAbigail's Party\u003c\/i\u003e and the sharply observed \u003ci\u003eToo Much of a Good Thing. \u003c\/i\u003eBoth plays feature here, along with a fascinating interview with Leigh, in which he explains his creative process and shares stories from his life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbigail's Party\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Set in 1977, this dark comedy of manners revolves around Beverley, a suburban housewife attempting to throw a cocktail party. She's invited all the neighbours, and the drinks are flowing freely - but as her guests loosen up, things start to become somewhat fraught… \u003cb\u003eBrenda Blethyn\u003c\/b\u003e stars as Beverley in this 1986 World Service adaptation of Mike Leigh's caustic satire on middle-class respectability.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eToo Much of a Good Thing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Initially censored by Radio 3 for its sexual explicitness, this 1979 drama, specially written for radio and recorded on location in London, sees a driving instructor and his pupil tentatively embarking on an affair. Graham woos Pamela with trips to the Berni Inn and the local boating lake, but what will happen when she finally succumb to his advances? Starring \u003cb\u003eLesley Manville\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003ePhil Davis\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCalling the Shots: Mike Leigh\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - In this absorbing Radio 5 profile, the filmmaker and sometime dramatist tells us about his main aims: to depict real life and make his audience laugh and cry. We hear about his childhood passion fo rthe pictures, his early TV plays \u003ci\u003eHard Labour\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eNuts in May\u003c\/i\u003e, how he came to conceive \u003ci\u003eAbigail's Party\u003c\/i\u003e, and his breakthrough pieces \u003ci\u003eGrown-Ups\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMeantime\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNB: Contains scenes of a sexual nature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduction credits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten by Mike Leigh\u003cbr\u003eAll rights reserved\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbigail's Party\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeverly Moss - \u003cb\u003eBrenda Blethyn\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLaurence Moss - \u003cb\u003eTim Stern\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTony Cooper - \u003cb\u003eJohn Salthouse\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAngela Cooper - \u003cb\u003eTeresa Streatfield\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSusan Lawson - \u003cb\u003eThelma Whitely\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDirected by David Hitchinson\u003cbr\u003eTechnical presentation: Graham Harper\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC World Service, 2 March 1986\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eToo Much of a Good Thing\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMr Payne - \u003cb\u003eEric Allan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePamela - \u003cb\u003eLesley Manville\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGraham - \u003cb\u003ePhilip Davis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Liane Aukin\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 1992\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCalling the Shots\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith Mike Leigh\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompiled by Paul Wells\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eProduced by Ann Hines\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 5, 23 July 1991\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e© 2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2026\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":67150963441968,"sku":"BD10y6","price":11.67,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/10y6-Square-cover.jpg?v=1782495175","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-10y6","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}