W. Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife is revived and reimagined at the Royal Shakespeare company’s Swan Theatre this month, just shy of a century since the original was first staged. This adaptation has been elegantly re-shaped by Laura Wade, and the result is charming, thought-provoking and ever so chic. 

The story revolves around the irrepressibly determined Constance, played by Rose Leslie, who gives the character a perfect blend of lighthearted energy and laser-sharp wit. Faced with a discovery that has the potential to blow her life apart - but which societal expectations dictate should be swept firmly under the rug - Constance reacts with steely poise. With a mob of family, friends and loved ones trying to sway her into an ‘appropriate’ reaction, Constance maintains her stiff upper lip, and carves her own path.

It’s a testament to the excellent cast that the selection of variously flawed and complex characters are never void of charm. Kate Burton is marvellously biting as Consance’s mother - with her sharp-tongued jibes mainly aimed at Constance’s righteously exasperated sister Martha (Amy Morgan) - while Emma McDonald is fabulously outrageous as Marie-Louise.

The play has a great deal to say, running beneath the comedy. It makes a point of underlining the freedom that financial independence affords Constance - and acknowledges that the main character is protected by the safety net of high society. And while that society’s double-standards primarily impact women, its negative implications for men are also highlighted - the whole male gender is at one point cynically reduced to the temperament of a distractable and slightly stupid puppy. 

Speaking of the men, their characters are as richly complex as the women. Constance’s husband, John (Luke Norris), her friend Bernard (Raj Bajaj) and Mortimer (Daniel Millar) - Marie-Louise’s bemused ‘new money’ husband - all run the gamut of emotions, from doe-eyed devotion, to jealousy, and brash confidence. Mark Meadows’ character Bentley, Constance’s confidant and faithful servant, is elevated in Wade’s adaptation to become a bridge between the audience and the action as he deftly runs the household around the drama.

While the play feels strikingly modern in places, there is no doubt when and where it is set, thanks to the sumptuous design, and music composed by Jamie Cullum, who provides appropriate jazz crooning, by way of pre-recorded vocals. Anna Fleischle designed the impeccable set (which had to be good, as Constance makes her name as a fashionable interior designer) and was co-costume designer with Cat Fuller. The outfits are to die for. 

The Constant Wife might not be for everyone - but it’s wordy and witty, with fast-paced repartee, and a core of social commentary beneath its frothy exterior. It’s a period piece, holding up a (dazzlingly Deco) mirror to the modern era - just the thing for a warm summer evening.

Five Stars

The Constant Wife was reviewed on Tuesday 1 July by Jessica Clixby at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre, where it shows until Saturday 2 August