"Run For Your Wife" - by Ray Cooney - Square One Players (Shrewsbury, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Neal Martel as “Stanley Gardner,” Ren Fontes as “John Smith,” Leela Pahl as “Mary Smith,” and Collin Touchette as “Bobby Franklin” in a scene from Ray Cooney's "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" presented by Square One Players in Shrewsbury, MA. through March 22, 2026. Photo Courtesy of Joanne Smith)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“He's such a harmless old prune normally!"
- (“Stanley") / Ray Cooney
Square One Players
Presents Ray Cooney's
"RUN FOR YOUR WIFE"
Written by Ray Cooney
Directed by Jeremy Woloski
Cast Includes: Ren Fontes as “John Smith,” Leela Pahl as “Mary Smith,” Jessica Rogers as “Barbara Smith,” Erik Johnson as “Detective Sergeant Troughton,” Norman Dubois as “Detective Sergeant Porterhouse,” Neal Martel as “Stanley Gardner,” Collin Touchette as “Bobby Franklin.”
Additional Creative Team:
Stage Manager - Marissa Hubbard; Assistant Stage Manager - Krissi Forgues; Production Manager - Joanne Smith; Assistant Production Manager - Tara Alano; Costumes - Angela Foley.
Performances:
March 14, 2026 through March 22, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Flanagan Theater, Southgate at Shrewsbury, 30 Julio Drive, Shrewsbury MA.
TICKETS:
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COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Square One Players offers up a saucy, silly British sex farce in "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE," now playing in Shrewsbury.
The actors involved in the two-act play written by Ray Cooney deserve much praise for executing the extraordinarily dated material with great conviction and enthusiasm.
One immediately notices that the Square One set is painted in two tones of “Kermit the Frog green” and “Willy Wonka purple," distinguishing that we are watching the story unfold in two vastly different locations.
As intricately staged by Square One Players' director Jeremy Woloski, the story of "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" has the actors running around at a rapid pace, bumping into one another, suffering prat falls and phone cord tie-ups (that last one being a dead giveaway for just how old the story is) and, of course, fun with doors - LOTS of fun with doors.
The set design for the comedy is a “single set” but actually depicts two separate locations, and all the action in "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" overlaps with the actors crisscrossing each other while in those two separate locations.
Confused?
Well, then brace yourselves, because it gets even more complicated from here.
(Photo: Ren Fontes as “John Smith,” Norman Dubois as “Detective Sergeant Porterhouse,” and Leela Pahl as “Mary Smith” in a scene from Ray Cooney's "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" presented by Square One Players in Shrewsbury, MA. through March 22, 2026. Photo Courtesy of Joanne Smith)
First, some background on the Square One Players' show.
Between 1983 and 1991"RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" was continuously staged in various U.K. theatres with the original West End cast featuring actor Richard Briers as “John Smith” (the role later assumed by Robin Askwith) and notable character actor Bernard Cribbins as “Stanley.”
(A little side note for science fiction fans - a couple of “Doctor Who” connections here: Bernard Cribbins was a beloved character who appeared in the later “Doctor Who” series. Also, one of the detectives last names is “Troughton” which is possibly a nod to the “Second Doctor” Patrick Troughton in the series. In addition, in the original cast of "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" alongside Cribbins was fellow actor Bill Pertwee, cousin of “Third Doctor” Jon Pertwee. Thus endeth the “geek” lesson.)
Making its debut on Broadway in 1989, "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" is notable for having its playwright Ray Cooney as director and star, although this did not help mixed reviews forcing the show to shut down after only 14 previews and 52 regular performances.
However, despite its lukewarm domestic reception, globally the show has gained some traction, even going on to inspire the 2013 film (featuring Briers, Askwith and Cribbins in cameo roles) which received even worse reviews than the play.
So, why is it still being staged?
Because some still enjoy silly sex comedies - and what could be so wrong about that?
Depending upon your point of view, perhaps nothing.
Then again, perhaps everything…more on that later.
The basic plot of the Cooney story concerns bigamist John Smith (Ren Fontes), a London cab driver with two wives, Mary (Leela Pahl) and Barbara (Jessica Rogers).
One wife lives in a flat in Streatham while the other one lives in a second flat nearby in Wimbledon (mind you, on a cab driver’s wages, no less).
Until recently (as in the start of this play) Smith has been enjoying the “benefits” of living two separate lives and has maintained his marital juggling act with a very precisely planned schedule.
(Photo: Jessica Rogers as “Barbara Smith,” Ren Fontes as “John Smith,” and Neal Martel as “Stanley Gardner” in a scene from Ray Cooney's "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" presented by Square One Players in Shrewsbury, MA. through March 22, 2026. Photo Courtesy of Joanne Smith)
Trouble brews when duplicitous bigamist Smith, well depicted by Fontes, is mugged and ends up in hospital, making headline news.
Reports of the mugging specify both of John Smith’s addresses, prompting separate investigations conducted by the Streatham and Wimbledon police as played by Erik Johnson as gruff, no-nonsense “Detective Sergeant Troughton” and Norman Dubois as the more amiable “Detective Sergeant Porterhouse” (making me hungry for steak just writing his last name).
With his meticulous (and completely illegal) arrangement now upset, Smith proceeds down an abyss of lies as he attempts to explain away to the detectives his two wives to the two respective detectives.
Both Pahl as Mary and Rogers as Barbara provide many laughs as the lovely yet understandably distraught wives who obviously know nothing of one another. Each is overwrought by the news of their “respective” assaulted husband(s) – although should either find out about his “meticulous arrangement” Mr. Smith may quickly wish to be mugged a second time compared to what his segregated spouses will have in mind once they meet.
His only ally in the attempt to keep his secret is his bungling ne’er-do-well neighbor, Stanley (Neal Martel) who lives upstairs at the flat in Wimbledon.
Also added into the mix is another neighbor, the fun and flamboyant dress-designer Bobby (playfully played by Collin Touchette), who serves to complicate matters further as the chaos reaches its apex.
Given the frenetic pacing essential for both the story’s dialogue and intense physical enactment, the play’s farcical requirements are well-executed by the cast.
(Photo: Neal Martel as “Stanley Gardner,” Ren Fontes as “John Smith,” Leela Pahl as “Mary Smith,” and Collin Touchette as “Bobby Franklin” in a scene from Ray Cooney's "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" presented by Square One Players in Shrewsbury, MA. through March 22, 2026. Photo Courtesy of Joanne Smith)
Now, let’s return to something I brought up earlier.
To fully enjoy this play, one must first accept it as a farce that was - and still very much is - a product of its time, because otherwise some (most) of the dated (archaic) references would come off as jaw-droppingly offensive and insulting.
One might even hear the old “Benny Hill Show” theme “Yakety Sax” music (by Boots Randolph) playing in the background and recognize from the outset that this is pure silliness, and I absolutely love silly British (Hell - ANY) sex farces - the sillier the better.
And yet, there IS a problem but doesn't come by anyone at Square One Players which has staged a fine show.
Nor is it even limited to Cooney’s "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" but rather it is a problem with many similar sex farces “of a certain age.”
I have noted the issue before in the reviews of comedies such as “Blithe Spirit” and “Don’t Dress for Dinner” – it is simply an outmoded brand of comedy that causes more grimaces than grins these days.
Many of these shows were written during the last century, staged for decades by thousands of theatre troupes because they were fun to do and fun to watch at the time.
These were staged with the intent of audiences not having to “overthink” things and simply enjoy the mindless sexually charged merriment.
Today, though, in 2026, while they may still be fun to stage with actors probably having a blast executing the material, it is this same material that appears to not have aged well, and is now viewed by audiences with a completely different world view...except maybe in parts of Kentucky.
Female characters were written in such a way that the women appear gullible and childish, even so far as to throw tantrums when frustrated.
These women are made to appear easily manipulatable because they are shown so blinded by love they will accept even the most outlandish of lies.
In reality, though (at least in the case of "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE"), it is a detestable degenerate husband who is to blame for his attempts at keeping his spouses (“spous-i?”) prisoners of the truth, held in their respective cells built upon his lies.
So, if you can accept the above, and are still willing to turn your mind off for a couple of hours, you’ll absolutely love the faithful presentation by the fine Square One Players' cast and creative team of "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" which continues in Shrewsbury, MA. until March 22nd, 2026.
Coming up in August, 2026 for Square One Players will be the hilarious musical revue "FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS."
roasting the best of Broadway!
For tickets and more information, visit www.squareoneplayers.com
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Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
In Ray Cooney's "RUN FOR YOUR WIFE" a London cab driver, John Smith, literally has two lives, complete with two different wives, Mary and Barbara.
Somehow, he manages to juggle them both without arousing suspicion.
However, he gets caught up in a mugging and wakes up in a hospital.
He ends up with the wrong wife by his side and is forced to deal with explaining things to both of his wives and the police all at once.(STAGEAGENT)
ABOUT SQUARE ONE PLAYERS
SQUARE ONE PLAYERS mission is to provide a venue to promote and support the performing and cultural arts in Central Massachusetts. The goal of SQUARE ONE PLAYERS is to provide a quality and economical live theater program that is all inclusive and of course, have a little fun along the way. SQUARE ONE PLAYERS strives to open opportunities to anyone who wishes to participate in the art of theater. SQUARE ONE PLAYERS hopes that one and all will feel welcome to participate either by viewing or taking part in theater shows. Come join SQUARE ONE PLAYERS and be ready to be entertained!
