Honeymoon Suite

Synopsis

If Romeo and Juliet had lived, would their marriage have survived? How long? ten years? Twenty? Fifty? How would the union have coped with poverty, corruption, his ignorance, her aspiration, an ungrateful daughter, no sons, infidelity with an attractive bloke on a night class, God knows how many miscarriages and even murder?

Our Review:

13 January 2004

If you've ever looked at a mature couple and wondered what kept them together all those years, Honeymoon Suite ought to tickle your fancy. Richard Bean’s simple but brilliant play puts one couple’s relationship under the microscope at three crucial points and leaves us to decide what, if anything, these people have learnt from life and one another.

On Eddie and Irene’s wedding night, she's nervous and shy, while he’s keen to impress. Twenty-five years later, they're back for their silver anniversary by which time the disappointments of married life are weighing heavy on Irene. Finally, they reunite, 23 years later still, and find that, despite drastic changes, they still have a lot in common.

All of these interactions take place in the honeymoon suite of a hotel in Bridlington. But what makes the proceedings so enjoyable is that we witness the couple at these points simultaneously. That is to say, we have six actors, two playing the couple at each a...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com (193.130.127.205) - 27 January 2004:

An enjoyable (three-and-a-half star, to be fair) comedy-drama by Richard Bean, and some fine performances from the cast - especially John Alderton and newcomer Sara Beharrall. One of the critics was spot-on: you're hooked on finding out why the couple's life turned out as it did and that, coupled with some really funny lines and a poignant ending make it a decent night out at the Royal Court. Andrew B...

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