The Constant Wife

The opening scene of The Constant Wife is as brilliant and witty as any great comedy of manners should be, but it little prepares us for the direction the play will go as the twists and turns become progressively more provocative, edgy, and eventually, downright shocking! Why? Because in a society where the rules are crystal clear, we meet the beautiful Constance, who ignores them all. For her, a husband’s affaires de coeur are to be recognized, dealt with and confronted, but only when necessary. For her, marriage is not a sacred institution but a contract, to be re-examined and renewed — when necessary. Such ideas still cause ripples today, but just imagine the reaction when Constance first hit the stage in 1926!