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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. The Constant Wife
In a beautifully appointed, utterly tasteful room designed by James Wolk, the audience observes the marital intrigues of Constance Middleton (Julie-Ann Elliott), married for 15 years to John (Michael McKenzie), a successful surgeon. Everyone around Constance knows that John is cheating on her with her best friend, silly flapper Marie-Louise Durham (Ashley West), but no one knows quite how to tell her. Constance's mother (Nancy Robinette) is a firm believer in the double standard: Of course a husband will have affairs, but it is the responsibility of the wife to ignore them and keep the family together. (She also notes that, in her opinion, "Decency died with dear Queen Victoria.") Martha (Allyson Currin), Constance's abrasive younger sister, thinks only a public confrontation will bring catharsis. A widowed friend, Barbara Fawcett (Helen Hedman), offers Constance a lifeline: employment as an interior designer. Through all of this, what does Constance want? She accepts that the first flush of love fades in a marriage, but that love —or sex, or fidelity —should not be the only basis of a male-female partnership. When a former suitor (John Wojda) offers her his love, she lets him know that she doesn't want to trade one man for another; she seeks financial independence, which will allow her the freedom to choose a man for emotional rather than monetary reasons. The sad thing is that, even today, some people are still uneasy about married women having the opportunity to support themselves rather than having to depend on their husbands. The language glitters, and Going once again demonstrates his understanding of the depths hiding in supposedly shallow comedy. Elliott is beautifully self-possessed as Constance, a woman not ashamed of her age (36) and strong enough to stand on her own. Robinette gives another jewel-like performance, serenely sure of herself and dealing with uncomfortable realities by ignoring them. James Slaughter has a delightful cameo as Marie-Louise's harrumphing husband. Liz Covey's costumes stand out vividly against the neutral tones of Wolk's set. Not only are the women's outfits attractive and appropriate, they also offer subtle characterization: Constance wears fluttery dresses in the first two acts, but her look becomes more tailored in the third. Olney Theatre Center
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