2 – 7 February
Oxford Playhouse is delighted to present the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Constant Wife by Laura Wade. Based on the comedy by W. Somerset Maugham, this sparkling adaptation stars one of the country’s favourite actors, Kara Tointon, and will play in Oxford from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 February.
This new production, from the creator of the International Emmy Award-winning series Rivals, brings to life Maugham’s celebrated comedy of ill manners, directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director Tamara Harvey.
1927. Constance is a very unhappy woman. “Nonsense” says her mother “she eats well, sleeps well, dresses well and she’s losing weight. No woman can be unhappy in those circumstances.” Constance is the perfect wife and mother, and her husband is as devoted to her as he is to his mistress, who just happens to be her best friend.
Written in 1926, The Constant Wife follows the charming Constance who finds herself in a situation she can’t afford to leave. But when her circumstances change, she decides to embrace the opportunity to create a new independent life for herself. 100 years later, Maugham’s original play has been given new life by Olivier Award-winning playwright, Laura Wade.
Playing the title role of Constance is the celebrated actor Kara Tointon, known for playing Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion in London’s West End, from TV’s Mr Selfridge and as the winner of Strictly Come Dancing.
Joining Tointon on stage is former Musical Youth Company of Oxford member, Amy Vicary-Smith who plays Martha. Her professional credits include The Duchess (of Malfi) at Trafalgar Studios and Machinal at Orange Tree Theatre.
The cast also includes Jules Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Ghost the Musical) as Mortimer; Tim Delap (Peaky Blinders, Greek Tragedy Masterclass on Film: Antigone for TORCH, Oxford) as John; Gloria Onitiri (Hadestown, A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic) as Marie-Louise; Alex Mugnaioni (The Taming of the Shrew at the Globe Theatre, King Lear at the Bodleian Library, Oxford) as Bernard; Philip Rham (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Jane Eyre for Shared Experience) as Bentley, and Sara Crowe (Calendar Girls, Four Weddings & A Funeral, Private Lives) as Mrs Culver. Also joining the company are Sam Flint, Jocasta King and Jane Lambert.
This new production is directed by Tamara Harvey with original music composed by Jamie Cullum. The set and costumes are designed by Anna Fleischle, with co-costume design by Cat Fuller. Lighting design is by Sally Ferguson, and sound design is by Claire Windsor.
Duration: 2hrs 20 mins
