Kara Tointon is The Constant Wife

“The Constant Wife feels like such a breath of fresh air. 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.”

Despite decades in the business, Tointon insists her route into acting was almost accidental. Tointon from Basildon in Essex explains: “My parents were fantastic. Because of my dyslexia, I struggled at school, so Mum and Dad 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, though, she’s taking on Constance, the razor-sharp heroine of Somerset Maugham’s 100-year-old play, and she doesn’t hold back on her excitement.

“Constance is the best role I’ve ever been given,” she says simply. “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.”

So, what hooked her when the script first dropped into her inbox? “I read a few pages and was laughing out loud,” she says. “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.”

Touring, of course, brings chaos, new cities, new audiences and a different energy every night. “What a great way to start the year,” she beams. “I’ve been to so many of the places before, like Malvern and Cheltenham, and I’m just so excited to take this show on the road.”

Producer David Pugh has made headlines keeping tickets at affordable prices, something Kara is fiercely behind.

“This is my first time working with the great David Pugh,” she says. “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.”

Period pieces have become a Tointon speciality, from Pygmalion to Gaslight. “There’s nothing better than transporting yourself to another time,” she says. “In theatre you really get to dig into the period. It’s incredible. I love it.”

She says that The Constant Wife is moving and funny all at once: “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.”

Finally, I ask what the title of her autobiography would be. “Oopsie daisy,” she smiles.