The Constant Wife - A Northern Theatre Review

I have an admission… this play helped me get a job - long story for another time - but I have a soft spot for it, and I went in hopeful, optimistic and a little nervous that my expectations might be too high.

They weren’t.

I wasn’t disappointed!

I look forward to seeing it again at some point!

There’s something special about watching a century-old play land every joke like it was written just yesterday. The Constant Wife, first staged in 1926, turns 100 this year and this touring revival proves it hasn’t aged a day.

Kara Tointon

At the heart of it all is Kara Tointon, who sparkles as Constance with a performance that’s all intelligence, warmth and razor-sharp timing. She anchors an excellent ensemble cast who clearly trust the writing and each other.

I saw Fawlty Towers recently, and it was funny, but it relied on physical comedy more than dialogue.

Here, there’s no mugging, no forcing the laughs. Just beautifully delivered, expertly crafted, dialogue that does the heavy lifting and then some.

Great costumes

And what dialogue it is. Maugham’s wit remains wickedly precise, the comedy flowing entirely from language and social observation rather than gimmicks. A wise decision. When the writing is this good, the smartest thing a production can do is get out of the way.

I should at this point mention that Laura Wade is credited as the writer here, and from what I can see she has enhanced rather than re-written the play. Some of the language is slightly less archaic in places, Constances motivations are clearer too… but not too much else.

Which in part explains how modern it all feels. Themes of marriage, independence, reputation and the quiet power of self-determination land with a thud of recognition.

For a play written 100 years ago, it has an uncanny knack for speaking directly to now. More than a few lines drew knowing laughter from the audience, the kind that says “well, that still hits”.

On the night at York Theatre Royal, the house was packed and fully on side. You could feel the collective enjoyment ripple through the auditorium, laughs coming quickly and warmly, applause generous and sustained. This is proper crowd-pleasing theatre, but with brains firmly intact.

If there’s a quibble, it’s with some of the set choices. At times elements of the set change at scene end, the fireplace rotates, the door is changed, wallpaper etc. I thought initially that this was to signify the action had moved to a different room. But the chaise, chair and piano all stay the same - so I wasn’t sure what that was trying to communicate.

Still, this is a hugely enjoyable evening and a reminder of why Maugham endures. Smart, funny, and unexpectedly timely, The Constant Wife feels less like a revival and more like a reunion with an old friend who’s still got all the best lines.

The great production images are credit Mihaela Bodlovic

Cast
Kara Tointon as Constance Middleton
Jules Brown as Mortimer Durham
Tim Delap as John Middleton
Alex Mugnaioni as Bernard Kersal
Gloria Onitiri as Marie-Louise Durham
Philip Rham as Bentley
Amy Vicary‑Smith as Martha Culver
Sara Crowe as Mrs Culver
Sam Flint
Jocasta King
Jane Lambert

Creatives
Writer: Laura Wade
Director: Tamara Harvey
Set & Co-Costume Designer: Anna Fleischle
Composer: Jamie Cullum
Co-Costume Designer: Cat Fuller
Lighting Designer: Sally Ferguson
Sound Designer: Claire Windsor
Associate Director: Francesca Murray Fuentes
Associate Designer: Angelica Rush
Movement Director: Annie‑Lunnette Deakin‑Foster
Casting Director: Sarah Bird
Casting Director (CDG): Marc Frankum