Mike Leigh’s feast of agonising drunken smalltalk, Abigail’s Party, is back on stage at Kingston’s Rose, with Laura Rogers playing the deliciously excruciating hostess Beverley – the part that Alison Steadman made her own in the beloved TV version.

The suburban satire is so cemented in the collective conscience from that masterful 1977 BBC adaption that reverting to the original evolved-from-improv drama surprises, and slightly disappoints.

Dancing to Demis Roussos’ Forever and Ever, as happened on the telly, turned out to be far funnier than smooching to Jose Feliciano’s Light My Fire (though Leigh didn’t think so at the time, when his work was condensed and altered).

Leander Deeny plays Laura’s estate agent husband Laurence in Kingston’s touring version (until Nov 16), with a clever set incorporating a Mini, kitchen, loo and three-piece leather suite.

Rising young director Jack Bradfield directs, with attention to detail including the cheese-and-pineapple hedgehog snacks, liberally passed around, and Naomi Daley’s costume choices impeccable.

As Beverley and Laurence frantically point-score off each other, neighbours Angela and Tony (Chaya Gupta and Joe Blakemore) and Susan (Amy Rockson) are enlisted as rival allies. It’s the ultimate version of Keeping up with the Joneses, and the audience laughs, shudders and gasps as the gin flows.

The drama darkens, and the mood alters as the sobering comic climax nears, but Bradfield’s directorial updates don’t all work. Choosing 1981 Adam and the Ants music for a 1977 drama jars, for example.

It’s funny to observe how some of Beverley’s perceived faux pas of the 1970s – such as putting the Beaujolais in the fridge – are actually de rigueur today.

We laugh along with the drama and dialogue, but we squirm in our seats as well. We all know Beverley and Laurence, and we’ve all been to those parties.

Tickets from £15: 020 8174 0090/rosetheatre.org