Inside Shirley’s Honeymoon Hotel
WHAT really happens during a honeymoon behind hotel doors? your guess is as good as mine–a dollop of romance, drama, passion and a sprinkle of chaos.
Honeymoon Hotel, a stage play directed by filmmaker, Shirley Frimpong-Manso, served all of that and more on a platter at the National Theatre from Friday, June 20 to Sunday, June 22, 2025.
The play presented by Africa Arts Network, is based on an original script by playwright Stephen Yaw Oppong boasts of a far-famed cast including Joselyn Dumas, James Gardiner, Ama K. Abebrese, David Dontoh, Godwin Namboh, Jasmine Baroudi, Amanda Jissih, Gadede Segbefia and Andrew Tandoh-Adote.
The curtains go up with Andrew Tandoh-Adote coming on stage as the overly enthusiastic hotel supervisor, Konka. Singing and dancing with the joy of a man divorced after 19 years of marriage, Konka set the tone for a story that would unravel both the messy and magical sides of love.
As he reflected on the highs and lows of married life, Konka introduces the audience to the heart of the story: the Honeymoon Hotel, a luxurious love-themed hideaway with all the trappings, front desk, fancy rooms, elegant restaurant and staff who’ve seen it all. What follows is a whirlwind of romantic adventure, personal reckonings and unexpected confrontations.
Set in a high-end hotel designed to celebrate lasting love, the play is anything but predictable. As newlyweds check in with secret baggage and hotel staff juggle their own romantic messes, the story quickly transforms into a hilarious yet heartfelt rollercoaster. Themes of love, infidelity, honesty, vulnerability and second chances are explored with humour.
One of the standout moments is when a disgruntled guest, Mr. Gyamfi, storms into the hotel demanding a refund. He blames the hotel's over-the-top romantic services, like daily fresh flowers and gourmet breakfasts, for ruining his marriage.
In his rage, he pulls out a gun, only to be disarmed by the hotel’s manager, a composed Lucy Sarpong(Joselyn Dumas), who calls his bluff and reveals his weapon is fake, before pointing a real one at him and chasing him out in style.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s a cheeky peek into honeymoon reality. Mrs Quarcoo (Jasmine Baroudi) turns up the heat in revealing lingerie for a seductive scene that leaves the audience gasping and laughing.
And then comes the flashy couple, Mr and Mrs Adams (James Gardiner and his wife, Ama K. Abrebrese), a couple living way beyond their means, funding their flashy lifestyle through deceit and with borrowed money.
After throwing a lavish wedding they couldn’t afford, they sneak off to the Honeymoon Hotel, hoping to lay low. But fate has other plans. The hotel’s front desk girl innocently posts a photo of them on Instagram, exposing their secret hideout to the very people they have scammed.
But the drama doesn’t end there. Amandah Jissih and her husband arrive next, dragging along their marital woes. The couple, locked in constant disagreement, seem incapable of finding common ground even on their honeymoon.
Meanwhile, chaos takes a bizarre turn when Konka’s uncle,Wofa, played by seasoned actor David Dontoh, shows up with a twist. He brings in two ladies dressed as men(Konka ran away the last time he saw him with women), hoping to give his nephew potential wives to choose from, because in his eyes, Konka is long overdue for marriage, but he(Konka) eventually finds out and rejects them.
And just when things seem like they couldn’t get any more dramatic, a mysterious couple, The Taylors, who look like product of an arranged marriage walk in. But appearances are deceiving. Turns out, they’re actually the new owners of the hotel, who came in disguise to assess their staff.
When the dust settles, Lucy Sarpong and Konka finally find love in each other.
