Alison Steadman is a guaranteed box-office draw, which is why it's surprising that producers can't tempt her onto the West End stage more often.

The revival of Abigail's Party at Hampstead has brought memories of Steadman's stage and television performance as Beverly, the hostess from hell, rushing back to the public's mind.

Her most recent West End outing was as the randy spinster sister in Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane at the Arts Theatre, and now she has been cast as a wronged wife in Debbie Isitt's play The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband.

This play was very well received when it was first seen at the Royal Court Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe in the early nineties. It's a highly entertaining exploration of jealousy, humiliation, deceit and betrayal, which gives an entirely new meaning to the old adage, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Kenneth and Hilary have been married nearly 20 years, but as middle age encroaches, Kenneth finds himself in the arms of another woman. At first Laura seems to represent everything that is missing from Kenneth's life, but only one little problem — she can't cook. As time goes by. Kenneth mourns the loss of Sunday roasts and the comforts of a settled life, so when Hilary invites Kenneth and Laura over for dinner together he readily accepts, unaware of what delicacies Hilary has on the menu.

Alison Steadman plays Hilary, with Phillip Jackson as Kenneth and television presenter, comedienne and actress Daisy Donovan as the younger woman and rival, Laura.

—By Paul Webb Theatrenow