The Second Mrs. Tanqueray

In The Second Mrs. Tanqueray by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, Aubrey Tanqueray shocks society when he marries Paula, a woman with a scandalous reputation. The newlyweds are determined to escape their past and start afresh, moving away from the disapproving eyes of London to their home in the countryside with only Aubrey’s daughter from his first marriage, Ellean. Paula is determined to win over her impeccably prim stepdaughter, and prove to herself -- and the world -- that she can be a good wife and mother. But when a figure from Paula’s past appears in the most shocking of ways, both Paula and Aubrey must ask themselves if they can ever truly outrun the whisperings of the cruel outside world. The Second Mrs. Tanqueray was a sensational hit when it premiered in 1893, and its themes -- especially the hypocritical standards held against women -- continue to resonate with astonishing impact today.