In 1938, JB Priestley was busy crafting amusing marital satire and had yet to pen his infamous An Inspector Calls. Set approximately thirty years prior, the story revolves around three Yorkshire couples celebrating their joint 25th wedding anniversary. However, to their horror, they discover they are technically unmarried. While both plays critique the moral hubris of the Edwardian middle class, When We Are Married somehow stands as the lesser sister. Timothy Sheader’s sparkling revival cleverly positions it as the predecessor to British suburban sitcoms, where marital dissatisfaction is the goldmine of comedy.
Sheader manages to maintain an air of the era while twisting it surrealistically, showcasing a drawing room saturated in mustard and purple hues, dominated by a giant aspidistra. Ah yes, the classic emblem of dreary Middle England! Initially, the tone feels a tad exaggerated—how seriously should we regard these ludicrous couples, who parade their inflated social standing over long-suffering housemaids and “la di da” southerners while clinging to their marital status like a life raft?
Yet, once they all come to grips with the fact that they’ve been living in sin for a quarter-century, metaphorical gloves are thrown down. Jim Howick’s Herbert, a pliable pawn silenced by Mrs. Constant Nag (played by Samantha Spiro), slowly finds his voice. Meanwhile, Sophie Thompson portrays the seemingly timid Annie who dares to entertain the notion that maybe, just maybe, not being married to her pompous husband Albert isn’t the end of the world.
Sheader’s surreal take on a classic drawing room – Johan Persson
The material itself is a bit risky; certain quips flirt dangerously close to being end-of-the-pier jokes about “her inside.” Yet it resonates with the bitter truths about relationships that Alan Ayckbourn would later master in his sharpest comedies. The pièce de résistance, however, lies in the performances: Marc Wootton’s Albert Parker is so inflated with self-importance that one might expect him to float away at any moment. Cook transforms the role of a blitzed photographer into a finely crafted glimpse of hapless humanity. The standout is Janice Connolly as the mischievous Mrs. Northrop, who can pierce her employers’ pretensions with just a knowing glance.
In a true display of loyalty, Sheader embraces the play’s tidy ending, wrapping everything up in a gaudy bow. Why not? This is a lighthearted romp poking fun at the absurdities of the British class system. Adding a sprinkle of anachronistic flair—like Beyoncé’s Single Ladies blaring out at one point—keeps the air fresh, preventing the comedic dust from settling all too soon. A delight, indeed!
Catch this engaging performance until February 2. For tickets, call 020 3282 3808 or visit donmarwarehouse.com. Don’t miss this opportunity; it’s a guaranteed recipe for laughter, social commentary, and perhaps a little existential crisis.
