Abigail’s Party Essay Example

Her command "Laurence did you get the lagers" reflects this attitude and makes Laurence feel small, hurting his confidence. The scene "brick wall" follows, where tension builds up and leads to a climax at the end.

Beverley belittles Laurence once more in this particular scene by utilizing sarcasm in her dialogue. Her delivery is quite exaggerated, with large hand gestures, which can be attributed to her state of intoxication. She asserts her dominance over Laurence by asking him to turn up the music while she is at the bar next to the record player, and he initially declines, attempting to converse with other guests. "I can't hear through two brick walls," she retorts to Laurence in a mocking tone.

This section illustrates a contrast in music preferences between two individuals. Despite her efforts to play music, he voices his dislike for it. The argument escalates, leading to Laurence grabbing Beverley's arm. Both parties display fear in their facial expressions following the incident.

The final section of the play, "art", depicts the culmination of the tension built up thus far. Once again, their differing tastes come to light, this time in regards to art. The humor in this moment is evident, as Beverley exclaims "Taste! What would you know about taste!" Laurence replies with "No, you always have been [ignorant]", which does not please Beverley as shown by her frown. This moment seems to be a release of pent-up emotions, likely due in part to their consumption of alcohol.

Moreover, I believe that their constant irritation led to them finally speaking out. Throughout the play's production, Beverley remained active, constantly bustling around and attempting to accomplish tasks. She

frequently danced as well, utilizing various spaces on the downstage area of the stage. Beverley enjoys keeping busy because she has excess energy from not working during the day.

Laurence attempted to remain still, but it proved challenging when Beverley urged him to perform tasks such as retrieving drinks. He primarily remained seated on or near the center stage sofa while fetching beverages, occasionally venturing into the kitchen for beer or sandwiches. This indicates that upon returning from work, his desire is to unwind, but his complaining spouse prevents him from doing so. Beverley's attire showcases her desire to flaunt her wealth and appeal, while Laurence dons a work suit that highlights his job-related responsibilities.

Despite the unattractiveness of both costumes, they are fitting for the 1970's setting of the play. The play builds up tension between Laurence and Beverley, which gradually leads to his death due to excessive worrying about his marriage. Throughout the performance, Laurence becomes notably more agitated, largely due to Beverley and to some extent, Tony. As the play progresses, Beverley becomes increasingly drawn to Tony, resulting in Laurence's rising anger. Beverley remains a consistently irritating character throughout the performance.