About

In a town very like old Bingley, in the golden Edwardian era, a group of three couples, old friends and all married on the same day in the same chapel, gathers at the Helliwells’ home to celebrate their silver anniversary. When they discover that they are not legally married, each couple initially reacts with proper Victorian horror – what will the neighbours think? – and all three couples find themselves reevaluating their marriages; hovering closely over the proceedings is the Yorkshire Argus’ alcohol-soaked photographer, keen to record the evening’s events for posterity, and a wickedly destructive housekeeper who is hoping to use the couples’ mortification to her own advantage.

This little story then plays out in a clever and hilarious demolition of pompous Victorian morality.

In November 1938, When We Are Married became the first play to be televised unedited from a theatre when the BBC relayed the complete performance.

More importantly for us, this play by Bradford’s own genius, J.B. Priestley, was the very first production by a company which became Bingley Little Theatre, in 1943. Produced again as a celebration of our 50th season, it now celebrates our 75th season (and we’ve ‘done it’ a couple more times - for luck!) It’s regularly performed for a reason - it’s a great play - one of the finest of the twentieth century.