When We Are Married

We saw the British period piece "When We Are Married" at the great Guthrie Theater last night. The thrust stage setting was lush, the costumes intricate and the actors were exceptional.

The plot is this: Three proper couples are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversaries only to discover that they were never legally married. Thus ensues two hours of arguing over things that aren't important - like what people will think. In the end they learn that it's all a mistake and they go back to the way they were when the play started. Bored, bickering and clueless about themselves and each other.

And, by the way, these couples who've been married for 25 years were made to look very, very old.

If I were redoing this play I'd make it contemporary and serious. Yes, people who've been married for a while do get complacent and sometimes forget how much they mean to each other. But the option of a do-over - or not, would be interesting.

Of course some couples do this symbolically by having a wedding renewal service, or doing something catastrophic like having an affair, thereby requiring them to decide whether or not they want to remain married - and why.

New beginnings, deep discoveries and commitments are always exciting. Even if they're with the same spouse.


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