It may have been written over a century ago but actress Kara Tointon believes that The Constant Wife which opens in Blackpool next week is the perfect play for today.
“The Constant Wife is the breath of fresh air we all need,” said the former Eastenders star who plays Constance, the razor-sharp heroine of Somerset Maugham’s 100-year-old play.
“It’s so funny, and I think it’s going to be real light relief for people watching it and for those of us doing it. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed production will see Kara returning to Blackpool.
“Blackpool has a very heavy, warm place in my heart because of Strictly,” she said. Kara and professional partner Artem Chigvintsev won the TV dancing competition back in 2010. “When you enter that Blackpool Tower ballroom, it’s breathtaking, the architecture and the atmosphere. I remember it like it was yesterday… it was my best dance, my best week.”
As well as playing Dawn Swann in Eastenders and Rosalie in ITV’s Mr Selfridge, Kara has worked extensively on stage in roles including Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and Olivia in Twelfth Night for the RSC.
But the notion of playing Constance, who discovers that her husband has been having an affair with her best friend, has got her particularly excited.
Kara Tointon (Picture: Blackpool Grand)
“Constance is the best role I’ve ever been given,” she said. “Laura Wade’s adaptation is something special. You read it, and the words just spring off the page.”
What surprised her most in rehearsals? “For a 100-year-old play, it is very funny. It feels current. Honestly, it could have been written in 2026, right now.”
Kara said that she knew from the outset that the play was something she wanted to be involved in.
“I read a few pages of the script and was laughing out loud,” she said. “You just fall in love with these people. And Constance becomes this accidental powerhouse. She knows what she’s doing, of course, but all her underlying brilliance suddenly rises to the surface. She becomes the engine of every scene. That’s a lot of fun.
“You leave thinking about what you would do in that situation. And it reminds us we don’t always have to rush. We can take time, reflect and make the right decisions. Constance is so witty and brilliant. I wish I were as sharp as her.”
Period pieces have become something of a speciality for Kara, from Pygmalion to Gaslight.
“There’s nothing better than transporting yourself to another time,” she said. “In theatre you really get to dig into the period. It’s incredible. I love it.”
Kara Tointon stars in The Constant Wife (Picture: Blackpool Grand)
Last year, the 42-year-old revealed she had undergone a double mastectomy after discovering she carried the BRCA genes 1 and 2, which put her at significantly higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
“I’m not naturally someone who talks about things like this,” she admitted. “But during it all, I’d find myself blurting it out, ordering a coffee or getting on the tube and saying, ‘I’ve just had a double mastectomy!’ I couldn’t help it.”
What surprised her most was how much hearing other people’s stories helped.
“When I was going through it, listening to others’ experiences comforted me in a way I can’t explain,” she said. “You suddenly don’t feel alone. We’re so lucky now to understand more about our own genetics and health. If sharing my story helps even one other person feel more at ease, that means everything.”
Kara is now an ambassador for the gynaecological cancer charity the Eve Appeal.
“A year ago, I finally felt ready to talk about it, and the response was incredible,” she says. “It was cathartic. I’d recommend anyone to open-up about it. It helped me, and hopefully it’s helped others too.”
As she prepares to take The Constant Wife on the road – it visits 17 venues across the UK including The Lowry at Salford in March – Kara also has her eye on the show’s final performances.
For they will be at sea on a Transatlantic Crossing aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
“I’m so excited,” she grinned. “It’s a great way of reaching audiences who might never catch the show on tour. I’ve heard of so many people seeing brilliant theatre on cruises. It’s a great idea for us, too.”
The show is produced by David Pugh, a legendary figure in the theatre world who has campaigned for keeping theatre prices down
“This is my first time working with the great David Pugh,” said Kara. “He really champions theatre being accessible. It should be. But it has become so expensive, sometimes it’s like booking an all-inclusive holiday. David keeps prices reasonable so everyone can come. Live theatre is magical. Everyone deserves to experience it.”
Despite decades in the business, Tointon insists her route into acting was almost accidental.
Kara Tointon in The Constant Wife (Picture: Blackpool Grand)
Kara, who grew up in Basildon, said: “My parents were fantastic. Because of my dyslexia, I struggled at school, so mum and mad wanted me to find confidence elsewhere.”
At the age of seven, Kara started to go to speech and drama lessons at school. She did LAMDA exams and entered local music festivals doing poetry recitals.
“I loved it. It was totally accidental, but that’s where it all began. And my dad still champions me every day.”
Now she’s preparing to come to Blackpool.
“What a great way to start the year,” she said. “I’ve been to so many of the places before and I’m just so excited to take this show on the road.”
The Constant Wife is at Blackpool Grand Theatre next Friday and Saturday (January 16 and 17); details from www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk and the Lowry, Salford, from March 16 to 21, details from www.thelowry.com
