The Way of the World - 'The Confederacy of Wives' (1975)

Intro

'The Confederacy of Wives', adapted from the play of the same name by John Vanbrugh, is episode two (of five) in comedy series The Way of the World. It was produced by Thames Television and first broadcast on Wednesday 12 March 1975 (ITV, 9-10pm).

Although I do not have an image of Zoë in the programme, included here is one of her publicity photos from around the time it was broadcast.

Overview

Vanbrugh's bawdy play about two wealthy brokers who are attracted to each other's wives is among five Restoration comedies brought to TV as part of The Way of the World. The series aims to demonstrate that plays written during a famously exuberant, licentious period of seventeenth-century English history can appeal to modern sensibilities. As the TV Times pointed out when 'The Confederacy of Wives' was originally broadcast, modern audiences can relate to the play's forward-looking views on married life. The magazine joked: 'Is this the first play about wife swapping? With its provocative ideas, it might have been written last week'!

Zoë plays Corinna, the daughter of wealthy broker Gripe and his wife, Clarissa. Gripe takes a fancy to his wife's friend, Araminta; luckily for him, Araminta's husband, Moneytrap (also a well-to-do broker, as his name suggests) is attracted to Clarissa! With the wit and intrigue characteristic of Restoration comedy, Clarissa and Araminta take advantage of the unusual state of their personal affairs by encouraging their tight-fisted husbands to part with some money...

Cast

Rosemary Leach ... Clarissa

Toni Palmer ... Flippanta, Clarissa's maid

Donald Sinden ... Gripe, Clarissa's husband

Zoe Wanamaker ... Corinna, Clarissa and Gripe's daughter

Walter McKone ... Jessamin, Gripe's manservant

Shelia Ballantine ... Araminta, Clarissa's friend

Bernard Cribbins ... Moneytrap, Araminta's husband

Peggy Ann Wood ... Mrs Cloggit

Hermione Baddeley ... Mrs Amlet

James Booth ... Dick Amlet, Mrs Amlet's son

Trevor Peacock ... Brass, Dick's manservant

John Cater ... Chip, a goldsmith

Crew

Producer/Director: Peter Duguid
Researcher: Virginia Snyders
Designer: Assheton Gorton

Notes

A couple of years before 'The Confederacy of Wives' was broadcast, Zoë appeared on-stage in a more famous play by Vanbrugh, The Provoked Wife.

Merchandise

Unfortunately, 'The Confederacy of Wives' is not available on DVD or in any other format.