Review: When We Are Married
@ the Donmar Warehouse until February 7th 2026
Director: Tim Sheader
Writer: J.B. Priestley
Cast: Siobhan Finneran, Samantha Spiro, Sophie Thompson, Marc Wootton & John Hodgkinson
As an English teacher, I have read An Inspector Calls approximately 700 times, so it’s nice to see Priestley in a different, more humorous light for a change. Of course, many of his usual thematic preoccupations - the superciliousness of industrialists, the upper-class obsession with reputation, and the mistreatment of both women and the poor - dominate the proceedings here too, but When We Are Married firstly awards much more agency to its working class characters than Eva Smith / Daisy Renton was ever given, and secondly takes a much more lighthearted approach to its various sociopolitical concerns.
Set in the early 20th Century, Priestley’s play follows three couples - the Helliwells, the Parkers and the Soppitts - as they each celebrate what they believe to be their 25th wedding anniversary, having all married as part of the same ceremony. A revelation that the minister who married them was unqualified and that they are thus not legally wed throws the celebrations into turmoil as each couple contemplates what this might mean for their respective futures. Things become all the more complicated when a scheming maid and a local barmaid who had an affair with one of the men discover the truth and make their presence
A mix of farce and satire, When We Are Married is a light but solidly entertaining piece, and Sheader’s production is playful, if not a little throwaway. Much of its strength is in the performances, all of which embrace the silliness of the material with real energy. Sophie Thompson in particular is delightful as the downtrodden Annie Parker, the wife (or not) of Albert Parker, a man who insists on being referred to as “Councillor Parker”, while Ron Cook plays the role of lackadaisical drunk photographer Henry Ormonroyd with exquisite comic skill and timing. Janice Connolly, likewise, is hilariously devious and defiant as housemaid Mrs Northrop, and her reaction to discovering the truth about the marriages is probably the play’s funniest moment.
This is a fine production of a fine play. The set design and staging is a little uninventive, and the needle drops really do not work, but the sheer tirelessness of the performances sees it through. The ending is also fascinating, with Priestley trying to juggle two contradictory impulses and (almost) succeeding, though Sheader shows scant interest in exploring this in much detail. Nonetheless, it’s nice to see one of Priestley’s lesser known works get a run at a major London theatre, and the casting of this production is top notch.
Score: ⭐⭐⭐