A tea party to remember

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 19

A tea party to remember

, "Absent Friends” is ,;abouta Sunday afternoon * tea, party that will never * be forgotten. Screening on One to--morrow (Sunday) at 9.30 kp.m., it gathers together a -group of friends and who * want to cheer up Colin tr (Tom Courtenay) who has ' f recently lost his fiancee in ' La tragic accident But Colin is extremely * well, and his apparent * contentment serves to highlight the flaws and imperfections in the lives and personal relationships of the rest of the . * group. The party takes place at the well-appointed home of Paul (Dinsdale Landed) and Diana (Julia McKenzie). Paul has left all the

arrangements to Diana, for although Colin is an

old friend whom he has not seen for several years,

Paul is unenthusiastic about a reunion. In fact, he and Diana are going through a difficult phase in their marriage, especially now that the children are both at boarding school. Paul goes out a lot,- and Diana Suspects him of having an affair with the sullen, ungracious Evelyn (Kate Lock), who is at the party with her hyper-active husband John (Hywel Bennett).

The gawky, good-na-tured Marge (Maureen Lipman), who is Diana’s closest friend and confidante, is also present, although her hypochondriac husband, Gordon, has chosen to stay at home in bed.

By the time Colin ar-

rives the atmosphere is already tense. Diana has been reduced to tears by Paul’s total lack of appreciation for all her efforts, and by his threat to remain upstairs for the duration of the party, while Marge is still reeling from what Evelyn has told her on i the subject of Paul’s Infidelity. Pathetic telephone calls from Gordon, who resents the fact that Marge is not there to see to his every need, and John’s non-stop fidgeting and pacing around do nothing to help the situation, which is made even worse by the arrival of Colin. His constant references to his dead love, who would appear to have been the most perfect person who ever lived, his well-intentioned but irritating sermons to the others, and his assumption that they must all be happy because they have partners, bring about a dramatic, not to say hysterical, climax to the afternoon. "Absent Friends” is written by. Alan Ayckbourn, and directed by Michael Simpson.