Jodie Prenger to star in Abigail's Party UK tour

Jodie Prenger will star in a new UK tour of Mike Leigh's comedy Abigail's Party.

The '70s set comedy, which first premiered in 1977, follows a series of warring couples in a fractious suburbia will open in Brighton in January, before visiting cities including Birmingham, York, Glasgow, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Woking, Northampton, Blackpool, Aylesbury, Liverpool, Dartford, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Prenger, who won the TV show I'd Do Anything! and whose credits include Oliver!, Spamalot, Fat Friends, will lead the cast of the show, which is directed by Sarah Esdaile.

Last year Abigail's Party was revived at the Oxford Playhouse to mark its 40th anniversary, with Amanda Abbington in the role of Beverly. The show then toured to Cambridge, Malvern and Richmond.