About

Judy and Johnny lead a 1950’s lifestyle, clothes, décor, appliances. She stays at home while Johnny works as an estate agent.

Every couple needs a little fantasy to keep their marriage sparkling. But behind the gingham curtains, being a domestic goddess is not as easy as it looks. There used to be a pleasant myth that women staying at home “to keep house “ had a nice, sheltered, easy time, the idea being that the infinite variety of domestic work could make it equally if not more attractive than a paid job. Day in day out routines, even in a small household, were assumed to be recognised and therefore rewarding. Is cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, etc classed as “real work”? In the modern battle for equal pay, the housework question lurks quietly in the background. Indeed, the idea of valuing housework at all is fraught. The social, cultural and economic liberation of women cannot meekly sidestep the question of housework. It doesn’t really matter whether one enjoys the act of cleaning the family toilet more or less than operating a photocopier. One of these actions has formal recognition and the other doesn’t.

Home I’m Darling’s writer, Laura Wade, is an award-winning playwright with productions for the stage and films including The Riot Club. She has created a sparkling, sad, terribly clever, and inventive play. There is laughter, fun and at times there is rockabilly dancing. What joy!!