Wigan Little Theatre brings back comic drama it first performed after the war

Mind you, fans of When We Are Married have had to be patient: it was first performed at WLT in 1947 and last revived 44 years ago in 1980.

But the director says it will be well worth the wait.

The plot sees three couples, who were married on the same day, about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversaries together when they discover that they were never legally married.

The huge social embarrassment is followed by a dawning awareness that their existing relationships have now been overturned in the most dramatic way, and leads to some uncomfortable questions about where they should go from here, and how different their new lives might now be.

The play has has been performed at WLT twice before and is very fondly remembered both by former cast members and those audiences who saw it.

Priestley was born in Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire on September 13 1894. Many of his finest novels, plays and memoirs draw on his feelings about his young life in Yorkshire.

His plays are impeccably crafted and include: Dangerous Corner (1932), the comedy, I Have Been Here Before (1937), and, his most famous play, An Inspector Calls (1945).

The director is Catherine Finch who has wide experience at WLT, as an actress and director, having been an active member since 1977, and has expertise across a range of genres, from musicals and comedy, to serious drama and pantomime.

Cath said: “I couldn’t wait to direct this play. It is a staple of Northern drama set in a time and place when the plot situation would have been shameful and embarrassing, but which to modern eyes brings scope for all kinds of scandal, outrage and laugh-out-loud comedy, though ultimately it’s such a warm-hearted tale that no one will leave the theatre without a smile.

“I’m incredibly fortunate to have the cast I have. Straight away, every one of them bought into the ethos of the play, but in addition to that they’ve all worked exceptionally hard to capture the atmosphere and tone of the period.

"I’m convinced that our audiences will thoroughly enjoy this classic period comedy, which though it’s keenly observant and even critical of an era when appearance was everything, is also affectionate and uplifting.”

When We Are Married runs from March 8 to 16.

Book at wiganlittletheatre.co.uk or on the 24-hour telephone booking service: 0333 666 3366

The box office is open for in-person purchases throughout productions.