How to Have a Perfect Marriage

A BBC Radio 4 Drama

By: Nicholas McInerny

Narrated by: Julia Ford, Greg Wise, Katriona Perrett, Ellie Bindman, Liza Sadovy, Con O'Neill, John Sessions, Daniel Crowder, Izzy Watts, Mary Doherty, Doña Croll, Andrew Hayden-Smith, Toby Sawyer, full cast

Julia Ford and Greg Wise star in this BBC Radio 4 drama about a husband who comes out as gay after 19 years of marriage.

Jack and Karen are an ordinary, happily married couple. They've been together for years and are convinced every problem can be worked through. Until Karen finds an odd text on Jack's phone, and her confrontation leads to a shock revelation: Jack is gay, and he wants a male lover.

Seeking stability for themselves and security for their teenage children, they settle on a 'closed loop' arrangement, whereby they stay together and Jack has a boyfriend. So begins a new type of marriage, where small deceptions and unspoken fantasies are replaced with radical honesty. But can they make this work for everyone? When Jack decides he wants to move on, and live his life openly as a gay man, it's time for more negotiations with Karen and the girls. How will Naomi and Ella deal with the seismic changes to their family?

Scripted by award-winning writer Nicholas McInerny, this autobiographical look at modern relationships stars Greg Wise as Jack and Julia Ford as Karen, with Katriona Perrett as Naomi and Ellie Bindman and Izzy Watts as Ella. Among the supporting cast are John Sessions, Con O'Neill, Toby Sawyer, Daniel Crowder and Andrew Hayden-Smith.

Production credits

Written by Nicholas McInerny

Produced and directed by Melanie Harris

Sound designers: Eloise Whitmore and Alisdair McGregor

Executive Producers: Polly Thomas and Jo Meek

A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4

Cast

Karen - Julia Ford

Jack - Greg Wise

Naomi - Katriona Perrett

Ella - Ellie Bindman/Izzy Watts

Cecily - Liza Sadovy

Miranda - Liza Sadovy/Mary Doherty/Dona Croll

Ben - Con O'Neill/John Sessions

Malcolm - Toby Sawyer

Tom - Toby Sawyer/Daniel Crowder

Max - Andrew Hayden-Smith

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12-16 August 2013 (Series 1), 10-14 August 2015 (Series 2), 27 June-1 July 2016 (Series 3), 26-30 June 2017 (Series 4)

©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Not a comedy but a well done drama

I didn't laugh much listening to this so I think it may have been miscategorized. The story was really good and relatable and the actors, including the younger ones did a great job.
But this was more drama than comedy. The plot was believable and ringing true for many whose lives parallel in some way because the writers did explore the emotional hits to all involved. I did hope for a little more from Karen's mom later in Series 3 and her real feelings about Jack.
Jack was as expected.
Ben was just gorgeous acting.
Naomi was a delightfully annoying pill and Emma was a sweet little hero.
And what to say about Karen. Saint Karen. She was real. The truth she expressed was as true as any straight cis het woman experiencing a 'Jack' and dealing with reality.
Very well done...sans comedy in the subtitle though.