Even in the absence of daring modifications, this revival remains a comedy success. Rating
Excellent
Three couples gather in Joseph (John Hodgkinson) and Maria Helliwell’s (Siobhan Finneran) house to jointly celebrate their silver wedding anniversaries. Married on the same day at the same church, the three couples find out that their marriages were performed by a vicar that was not qualified for the job, opening a series of debates and arguments as bottled-up feelings and issues around their marriage begin to bubble over.
In the hands of director Tim Sheader, this revival of the 1930s classic by J.B. Priestley is comedy gold. It questions the many aspects that come with holy matrimony – what exactly an official marriage means – and contemplates how, in some cases, it could well be the only thing that keeps a relationship going long after its expiration. The comedy is well embedded within the script, and has largely withstood the test of time, as relevant today as it was many decades ago.
Sheader’s direction ensures the fluidity of the piece, allowing it to flow naturally from one scene to the next and heightening the banter amongst the men and between the couples. Rather than being shackled to traditional means, the creatives inject a sense of modern perspectives and elements. The incorporation of modern pop songs at key moments of the play works splendidly to elevate the comedy. For example, playing Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ as the three wives walk in to the room just when the men have realised that they have not in fact been married for the last twenty-five years serves as a trigger for howls of laughter.
Each couple has its unique relationship dynamics. Joe and Maria maintain and keep up their upper-class demeanour and appearances. Albert Parker (Marc Wootton) is an overbearing and egoistical man that talks over his gentle and submissive wife Annie (Sophie Thompson). Clara Sopitt (Samantha Spiro) is a powerful wife and the one that wears the trousers in her household, with her husband, Herbert (Jim Howick) being the more timid and shy man. Each actor brings their A-game to this production, providing a unique and memorable take to their role, and ensuring the pent-up feelings of the characters take centre stage when the script demands.
Capitalising on the shift in the balance of power, the focus moves away from the male characters to the women in Act II, giving the female leads more opportunity to shine. The second half of the show is arguably more entertaining and humorous, as more and more townspeople catch wind of the drama and turn up to the Helliwell house, interrupting discussions and sowing even more chaos. In particular, the sassy Mrs Northrop (Janice Conolly), the Helliwell housekeeper who has overheard and spread the drama, and Henry Ormonroyd (Ron Cook), a drunken photographer from a local news outlet, steal the scene every time they make an appearance.
The set and lighting designs are simple, focusing on a single room within the Helliwell house, with limited tonal shifts in colour. The characters either gather or are sent away from this locale based on need. While this feels a little static, without any changes to the scenery, it gets the job done.
Although the story is wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end, it feels rushed, with the local reverend, Clement Mercer (Leo Wringer), claiming near the finale that there is nothing that he can do to address the couples’ predicament, only for a local working girl, Lottie (Tori Allen-Martin), to offer a solution she discovers right after the reverend’s departure.
This revival of When We Are Married is a slick production with stage veterans that have the prowess to navigate the nuances of the characters with finesse. Although this rendition hasn’t taken any daring steps, there are tweaks made to modernise the piece and without a doubt it succeeds in delivering an enormously humorous show.
Written by J.B. Priestley
Directed by Tim Sheader
Set Design by Peter McKintosh
Costume Design by Anna Fleischle
Lighting Design by Ryan Day
Sound Design by Fergus O’Hare
Composed & Arranged by Will Stuart
Voice Director: Barbara Houseman
When We Are Married plays at Donmar Warehouse until Saturday 7 February.
