It’s an Order for Four
IVORY Loft, a popular restaurant, hosts June and Ekua Bilson, two best friends catching up on a hot afternoon.
June, an entrepreneur, owns Ivory Loft, while Ekua sells kente cloth after leaving her bank job. Unbeknownst to Ekua, a single and assertive young woman, June is secretly arranging to hook her up with her brother, Kofi Charles, a wealthy politician with a questionable reputation.
Kofi Charles is disliked by many for flaunting ill-gotten wealth, and Ekua despises him for his arrogance and sharp tongue, which he uses to put down his opponents.
June, however, praises him. She speaks well of her brother to Ekua, describing him as a hardworking politician.
But all that doesn’t sway Ekua, who counters with all the ‘sins’ of Kofi Charles, including buying over 20 houses and luxury cars while his party was in power.
While Ekua is going on and on about his ‘crimes’, Kofi Charles walks into the restaurant. Ignoring the unwelcoming looks from Ekua, he proceeds with his mission to get to know her and expresses his interest.
But the supposed love interest makes Ekua’s blood boil. And to make matters worse, Charles shows up with a piece of June’s past she does not want to meet. So a date set up to begin romantic relations becomes a cocktail of fireworks.
Then in walks Honourable Ankobrah, a political opponent of Charles but they are very good friends. They engage in their ‘boy boys’ things to the surprise of Ekua.
As a keen political observer, Ekua criticises the two politicians for deceiving their followers with their public spats.
Thinking she's witnessed it all, a radio station invites them for an interview, and their discussion on what to say ensues.
The absurdity of the scene sparks thunderous laughter from patrons, many of whom likely find it all too relatable.
Some statements such as ‘AI (Accredited Idiot)’, ‘Constipated Macho Man’, ‘Empty head like yoghurt seller’s meat pie’, split the sides of patrons.
Honourable Ankobra, driven by jealousy, plots to kill Kofi Charles. He resents his rising popularity, which he deems a threat to his own presidential ambitions.
He gives him a gift—a poisoned bottle of wine. Kofi Charles who doesn’t think anything of it hands it over to Honourable Ankobra’s younger brother who asks for it he later meets on his way. This twist exposes Ankobra’s evil plan, including paying bloggers to smear Charles' reputation with false stories.
The four main characters of Order for Four deliver strong performances, with Honourable Ankobra's signature catchphrase, "Halllloooo", sending the audience into fits of laughter every time he drops it.
Order for Four, the last quarter play from Roverman Productions is not just entertaining and full of humour; it tackles a potpourri of weighty themes including political tolerance, betrayal, envy, deceit, and sabotage.
But how does it all end? The encore performance came off from Friday, December 5 to 7 at the National Theatre, Accra.
The showtimes were Friday at 7 pm; Saturday at 4 pm and 8 pm; and Sunday at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 8 pm.
