The Constant Wife at Swan Theatre Review
Written by Hollie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Performing in the RSC’s intimate Swan Theatre this summer is the wonderfully talented cast of the stage adaptation of The Constant Wife, written by W. Somerset Maugham and led by leading lady Rose Leslie, who plays the constant wife in her marriage of fifteen years.
Set in the lively 1920s after World War I, as women begin to fight for their voting rights and adjust their lives following their wartime losses, this production has been adapted by Laura Wade, a prolific and highly respected writer whose recent works include the TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals. For Rivals, she recently won a Royal Television Society award for her drama writing, along with her writing partner Dominic Treadwell-Collins, known for his work on Eastenders.
This production also reunites Laura with Co-Artistic Director at the RSC and Director of this particular production Tamara Harvey, who together won the Olivier Award for their popular West End and touring production of Home, I’m Darling.
As the lights dim and the pianist plays, the tone is set for the evening. Summer evenings with the sun blaring through into the theatre windows provide the perfect backdrop for this modern and hilariously witty adaptation.
Into the living room arrive Martha and her mother, Mrs Culver, who are having a debate about their sister and daughter Constance, the perfect wife in a happy marriage to her husband John. “She sleeps well, she eats well and dresses well, does she seem unhappy to you?” states Mrs Culver, but both women know more than meets the eye, and so do the audience from the outset.
Amy Morgan as Martha Culver and Kate Burton as Mrs Culver make a fantastic mother and daughter duo, and their long conversations and disagreements throughout the show provide many moments of laughter and bickering, which are both relatable and funny to the audience at the same time.
As Mrs Culver exclaims at the fact that she has produced two working girls and that this isn’t something to be proud of, not all is what it seems. As the audience becomes privy to the deception, this offers lots of opportunities for chuckling and giggling.
Casting director Charlotte Sutton has truly excelled in the casting for this production, as every actor delivers their role authentically and with a rare ability to bring humor to a diverse audience.
Family relationships are explored, and secrets and lies are told as the story moves forward. The way that these relationships are portrayed within the living room and home at the centre of the stage is especially powerful. Characters enter and exit the stage through the front door, and this provides the audience with an inside view of what is happening.
The interjection of jazz music written and produced by the equally talented Jamie Cullum signals the change in time period between the present day and the events of twelve months earlier. My only minor criticism of the production is that there wasn’t enough of Jamie’s music included within the show, and I think that could have really brought the show full circle towards the end of the night.
Rose Leslie plays Constance, the constant wife who looks after the home and her and John’s daughter, Helen. Rose, who played Gwen Dawson in Downton Abbey and Ygritte in Game of Thrones, brings vigour and devotion to her role as the confident and charismatic protagonist.
Outside of the home, Constance is an interior designer with flair and confidence. This flair and confidence are exemplified through the inclusion of colourful and elaborately themed costumes and scenery. They reflect both her personality and growth in character. Set and Co-Costume Designers Anna Fleischle and Cat Fuller have skillfully established Constance as a rebellious and modern heroine, with her fashion and interior style greatly reflecting her personality.
Constance’s husband John Middleton, played by Luke Norris is both likeable and unlikeable at the same time. Calling Constance ‘his brick’ sets the tone for the second act, which explores the power struggle and manipulation between the characters after secrets are humiliatingly revealed before the interval.
This perfect production for a warm summer evening provides thought-provoking moments, including themes that are still relevant and prominent in today’s society. Are women seen as strong, powerful, and extraordinary, or are they still viewed as stereotypical figures who look after the home and the family? We all have our secrets, but do the Middletons have more than most?
“There is always a cab right there when you’re not quite ready to go.” And that couldn’t be more true for how I felt as an audience member leaving the theatre at the end of the show.
If you wish to find out whether the characters learn their lessons in the end, then head to the RSC’s Swan Theatre this Summer before the show ends on 2nd August 2025.
Other productions that have recently been announced by the RSC include: The Winter’s Tale, Fat Ham and Measure for Measure.
★★★★★
