Set in an era when male infidelity was routinely accepted, and quietly endured, Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife offers a masterclass in how a heroine might exact revenge with intelligence rather than rage.
This new production from the Royal Shakespeare Company, now playing at the Oxford Playhouse, stars Kara Tointon as Constance Middleton, and she is a delight in the title role. Constance is charming, observant and quietly formidable: a woman who initially appears constrained by circumstance, but who seizes her moment with calm precision when the balance of power shifts.
When Constance discovers that her husband John (Tim Delap) is having an affair with her best friend Marie-Louise Durham (Gloria Onitiri), there is no dramatic confrontation. Instead, she watches, listens and waits. Her refusal to play the expected role of the wronged wife — emotional, reactive, diminished — is precisely what makes her eventual triumph so satisfying.
The production flows effortlessly, driven by impeccable comic timing across the cast. There were frequent laugh-out-loud moments, particularly in the scenes between Constance’s mother and sister, Mrs Culver (Sara Crowe) and Martha Culver (Amy Vicary-Smith). Their debates over whether Constance should be told about the affair are both hilarious and audacious, landing with modern bite despite the period setting.
Each character is carefully woven into the story, contributing to its pace and humour. Tointon is excellent throughout, balancing warmth with steel, while Marie-Louise’s petulant outbursts provide sharp contrast and no shortage of laughs. Strong support comes from Philip Rham as Bentley, Alex Mugnaioni as Bernard Kersal and Jules Brown as Mortimer Durham.
Beneath the wit, the play offers a clear-eyed glimpse into the social and economic realities facing women a century ago, and perhaps a reminder of how far society has come, and how cleverly Maugham was already questioning those norms.
Elegant, funny and full of dry sarcasm and double entendres, The Constant Wife is a thoroughly enjoyable production, the kind of intelligent comedy the English do particularly well.
The Constant Wife runs at the Oxford Playhouse until Saturday.
The Constant Wife at the Oxford Playhouse
| Date | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 4 February | 7.30pm | Evening performance |
| Thursday 5 February | 2.30pm | Matinee (sold out) |
| Thursday 5 February | 7.30pm | Evening performance |
| Friday 6 February | 7.30pm | Evening performance |
| Saturday 7 February | 2.30pm | Audio described performance |
| Saturday 7 February | 7.30pm | Final performance |
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including interval)
Venue: Oxford Playhouse
Tickets: From £15
Box Office: 01865 305305 | oxfordplayhouse.com
The Constant Wife Cast
- Constance Middleton — Kara Tointon
- John Middleton — Tim Delap
- Marie-Louise Durham — Gloria Onitiri
- Mrs Culver — Sara Crowe
- Martha Culver — Amy Vicary-Smith
- Bentley — Philip Rham
- Bernard Kersal — Alex Mugnaioni
- Mortimer Durham — Jules Brown
Creative team
- Based on the play by: W Somerset Maugham
- Adapted by: Laura Wade
- Director: Tamara Harvey (RSC Co-Artistic Director)
- Original music: Jamie Cullum
- Set & co-costume design: Anna Fleischle
- Co-costume design: Cat Fuller
- Production: Royal Shakespeare Company
- Presented by: David Pugh and Cunard
