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Seagrove & Williams Bring Constant Wife to Apollo

Jenny Seagrove and Simon Williams will star in a new production of William Somerset Maugham's 1926 play The Constant Wife, directed by Edward Hall. The production transfers to the West End's Apollo Theatre on 2 April 2002, following an initial run this month (from 19 to 30 March) at the Theatre Royal Windsor.

In The Constant Wife, Maugham's acid wit and his contempt for society's rules are brought to bear on the attempts of an apparently devoted wife to stop her family and friends from telling her that her seemingly devoted husband is having an affair with her best friend. In the war-between-the-sexes piece, Maugham's heroine is an early feminist who gains financial and emotional independence from her husband.

Seagrove was last in the West End, also at the Apollo, in a revival of Neil Simon's The Female Odd Couple. Her other West End credits have included Brief Encounter, Hurlyburly, Dead Guilty and Present Laughter; while on film and television, she's been seen in A Woman of Substance, Don't Go Breaking My Heart and Local Hero.

Williams is currently appearing in an extended UK tour of the comedy Nobody's Perfect, which he also wrote and directed. In the West End, he's previously been seen in A Friend Indeed, Hay Fever, His Hers and Theirs, The Collector, No Sex Please, We're British, Gigi and The Winslow Boy. The actor is perhaps best known for his TV roles in popular sitcoms such as Upstairs, Downstairs and Don't Wait Up.

They are joined in the cast by Sara Crowe, Serena Evans, Lucy Evans, Steven Pacey and Linda Thorson. The Constant Wife is designed by Micheal Pavelka, with lighting by Ben Ormerod. It is produced by Bill Kenwright.

Director Edward Hall, son of Sir Peter, has made headlines elsewhere today for resigning from the upcoming RSC production of Edward III, due to open in Stratford next month. Hall's credits include, for the RSC, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Henry VI, Julius Caesar and the epic Greek tragedy, Tantalus, which he co-directed with his father. He also leads the all-male Propeller company whose various productions include the two-part adaptation of the Henry VI trilogy, Rose Rage, which opens at the West End's Theatre Royal Haymarket in June.

Currently at the Apollo Theatre is fellow Kenwright production Star Quality, starring Penelope Keith. It finishes its twice-extended run at the venue on 23 March 2002.

- by Terri Paddock

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