Set in 1908 and written in 1938, When We Are Married was produced shortly after the passage of the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1937, which expanded the grounds for divorce beyond adultery to include cruelty and desertion. At the turn of the century, particularly for the chapel-going middle classes, marriage was firmly understood as a till-death-do-us-part commitment. For Priestley’s original audience, the play’s premise that three couples might discover, after twenty-five years together, that they were not legally married and could therefore make different choices was not only comic but almost subversive. Times have changed, but Priestley’s comedy remains strikingly relevant, especially in its clear-eyed identification of the pressures that can undermine marriage: infidelity, financial anxiety, and bullying abuse. Although these themes are treated lightly, the point behind the laughter remains sharp. The play offers shrewd insight into relationships, class and the hypocrisy that often informs them, proving that farce can still carry a serious charge. The talented ensemble is led by Siobhan Finneran and John Hodgkinson, Samantha Spiro and Jim Howick, and Marc Wootton and Sophie Thompson. Each pairing brings wit, conviction, and a keen sense of timing to three couples suddenly forced to confront their marital standing. Almost stealing the show, however, are Janice Connolly as the feisty servant and Ron Cook as the drunken photographer. These smaller roles are comic gold and both performers are terrific. The director captures the period effectively and the production opens with an amusing rendition of Gracie Fields’ "The Biggest Aspidistra in the World." Later Tori Allen-Martin delivers a delightful music hall pastiche, but the introduction of Beyoncé’s "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is unnecessary and totally disrupts the established mood. Ultimately, When We Are Married is great fun, but it also has a mischievous glint beneath the laughter. By pulling the legal rug from under its couples, Priestley asks if marriage is really about certificates, chapel registers and official stamps, and whether it only survives on habit, inertia, and compromise. The final irony is that after all their outrage, threats to leave, and soul-searching, these long-suffering couples realise it may be wiser to simply hope that lessons have been learned and to put the ring back on.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Johan Persson
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