Inside the photo shoot for The Constant Wife UK tour 2026
DO gather round, then, because The Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Constant Wife will embark on a UK tour from January to May 2026, with Strictly Come Dancing winner Kara Tointon taking on the title role.
I’m delighted to be handling the education programme for the tour, developing a comprehensive learning resource pack tailored to different age groups, with creative insights and curriculum-linked activities designed to enrich creative learning. Lovely.
It’s 3:00 pm on a Wednesday in July, and I’m in the studio of Ladbroke Hall, West London, for the promotional photoshoot. Overseeing every detail is Olivier- and Tony Award-winning producer Mr. David Pugh, ensuring nothing—and no one—misses a beat.
Stoke-born Pugh, commissioned the play and is the highly successful West End impresario behind the tour. He has theatre in his blood and an exceptional eye for detail. Across his 40-year career, he has delivered hits including Yasmina Reza’s Art, The Play What I Wrote, and Pride and Prejudice (sort of).
He says: “I’m delighted to have commissioned Laura Wade to adapt this comedy and to be working with the Royal Shakespeare Company on this new production of The Constant Wife. Partnering again with Cunard, with whom I’ve had such a wonderful ongoing relationship, continues to be a joy. For me, in the times that we’re in, there is nothing better than to bring comedy to audiences in theatres all around the UK and to hear people laughing.”
Tointon, best known for roles in The Teacherand Mr Selfridge, is an Essex girl who has also recently landed a part in the upcoming Hunger Games movie. She’s the real deal, oozes star quality and is set to be a perfect Constance Middleton.
It’s a coveted role, and little wonder that some of the stage’s greatest talents have vied to play it. Unlike many of Maugham’s works, the play has enjoyed a notable Broadway presence, serving as a showcase for Ethel Barrymore (1926), Katharine Cornell (1951), and Ingrid Bergman (1975). The most recent revival, in 2005, starred Kate Burton, daughter of Richard Burton and Sybil Christopher.
This stylish comedy of manners centres on the quick-witted Constance Middleton, who asserts her independence after confronting her husband’s long-standing affair with her closest friend. Without being explicit, Maugham suggests that the fault lies not in this marriage, but in marriage itself.
Anyhow, this special photoshoot for The Constant Wife UK tour brought together a large team of hair and makeup artists, supported by skilled assistants. The entire shoot was captured by legendary photographer Willie Christie, with Tointon styled in a stunning golden gown provided by award-winning costume designer Jane Robinson.
Wade’s lively reworking of Maugham’s 1926 tale of adultery originally opened in Stratford-upon-Avon to rave reviews, selling out every performance—the audience loved it.
Now, the 17-venue tour follows that acclaimed Stratford-upon-Avon run, that starred Rose Leslie and Kate Burton. Adapted by Laura Wade from W. Somerset Maugham’s classic play, this fresh staging offers a contemporary remix of the story. Furthermore, it will be making its debut at sea on the Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing.
Wade has made some practical changes: for instance, she merged two characters—Martha (Constance’s sister) and Barbara, an interior designer who invites Constance to work with her—making Martha’s character richer and more dynamic. She also expanded Bentley the butler’s role, originally little more than an usher, into a part worth playing.
RSC artistic directors Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans said: “Our ambition is to bring joy to as many audiences as possible, deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, and so we are thrilled to be bringing The Constant Wife to stages across the UK, following its success at the Swan in Stratford.”
Anyway. With the addition of original compositions by jazz artist Jamie Cullum and direction by Tamara Harvey, the production opens in Blackpool in January 2026 before moving on to Chichester and beyond.
So, let’s get this show on the road.
