Author: W Somerset Maugham adapted by Laura Wade

Director: Tamara Harvey

Produced by: Royal Shakespeare Company

Venue: The Arts Theatre Cambridge

Performance: 25 March 2026

A delightful, witty, polished and thoroughly entertaining exploration of marriage, The Constant Wife combines sharp social observation with rich characterisation to excellent effect.

Continuing the Arts Theatre’s run of 1920s plays centred on the “modern woman,” this production highlights an era of self-discovery and growing independence. At its heart is Constance Middleton, a poised, intelligent woman navigating the complexities of marriage, family, and societal expectation. A century after its debut, Laura Wade’s adaptation feels fresh and resonant, bringing Maugham’s themes squarely into contemporary focus.

The production opens in an exquisitely detailed drawing room, which later transforms with impressive theatrical flair as the narrative shifts back in time – walls turn, wallpaper falls, and the past is vividly revealed. This attention to detail carries through the entire design, from elegant period costumes to the absence of clichéd flapper styling, instead favouring a more nuanced depiction of 1920s sophistication. Constance’s many costumes are detailed and glamorous, from dresses to trouser suits, as befits a well-to-do lady with an eye for design.

Constance and husband John have been married for fifteen years, and their only daughter has been delivered to boarding school. While she was away, John has been carrying on an affair with her best friend Marie-Louise (played by Jocasta King in this performance).

The play begins with her mother and sister Martha debating whether to tell her about the affair, which is now common knowledge, but it turns out Constance is way ahead of them.  Constance has become an independent woman, successfully going into the interior decor business with Martha (as did Maugham’s own wife, whose striking white interiors were famous in this era).

Under Harvey’s direction the witty repartee really sparkles performed by a strong cast throughout. Kara Tointon commands the stage as Constance, balancing composure and sang-froid with an undercurrent of emotional complexity as she confronts betrayal with intelligence and resolve. She masterfully takes control of her life, making her own decisions about how to play her hand in her outwardly solid marriage. Jocasta King brings a breezy charm to Marie-Louise, whose self-interest makes her both engaging and exasperating, while Tim Delap’s John is convincingly hapless, unable to cover the affair effectively or manage the consequences of his actions.

Constance’s mother, played by Sara Crowe and sister Martha, by Amy Vicary-Smith are thoroughly well-drawn characters in their own rights, going on their own journeys of discovery and shifts in perspective as the story unfolds.

In the supporting roles, Alex Mugnaioni’s Bernard offers a gentle counterpoint as Constance’s potential love interest, while Butler Bentley, played to a T by Philip Rham, provides understated support, subtly revealing his background and even tinkling the ivories on the piano in the drawing room.

Beneath its polished surface, The Constant Wife examines the realities of marriage – the shifting nature of love, the constraints historically placed on women, and the importance of financial independence. Yet it does so with a lightness of touch and a witty repartee that keeps it consistently engaging throughout. The result is a production that feels both true to the period and strikingly modern, and comes highly recommended.

Photos credit: Mihaela Bodlovic