Honeymoon.
Act 1
The play begins on Christmas Eve, when Christine returns home from shopping, tired and frustrated at men who wouldn't open doors for women any more.
She idealizes past times with its chivalrous and polite men and perfect romantic relationships. Her own relationship with her ex-husband Stephan has ended
with a divorce. Because Christine, a psychologist in a private practice, has made her career a top priority above everything else in her life, including
love. Christine gets engaged in an argument with her roommate, Linda, whose values are quite different from those of Christine's. Linda is very confident
about her own sexuality and femininity and is used to men worshiping her. She is proud of her abilities to control men and the ability to stay on top of
everything in her life. Linda makes fun of Christine's conservative and idealistic views of life and relationships, trying to educate her of smart,
contemporary strategies toward men, such as giving them a promise and play Madonna at the same time. She says she has no problem with either men or doors;:
you only have to know how to handle them, and they will turn themselves around. She declares her attitude toward life: the world is far from perfect, and
until it isn't about love but is about war and power, she will play by the rules of the game to survive. Christine, in turn, tries to enlighten Linda with
good, old values which are in disagreement with Linda's revealing dress and her pragmatic approach to love and life. Christine criticizes Linda for playing
games and keeping her engagement a secret from other men to continue enjoying their courtship.
Meanwhile, both women have business to do this evening. Linda is getting ready to leave for Christmas celebration with her fiancee’s, Dr Wolfgang
Egartner. Christine is installing an answering machine she has purchased,; tired of non-stop phone calls from various men asking for Linda. Christine is also
busy setting the table for guests she expects this evening. Her friend Barbara and her husband Manuel, who are coming to join her for Christmas dinner. She
looks forward to their company, especially because Barbara and Manuel represent an ideal couple, being happily and faithfully together for seven years.
Barbara and Manuel are Christine's beacon that proves her point to Linda that the ideal marriage can exist without playing games and using other weapons from
Linda's arsenal. However, Linda is sarcastic about such ideal marriage and decides to stay for a while not to miss her chance to look at the “ideal husband”
Manuel, even though she is late for her date.
Barbara storms in, very agitated and in distress, when she suddenly notices Linda whom she has not met before. Quickly (but temporarily) regaining
her composure, she drinks lots of cognac and acts in an awkward way. Apparently, she has just discovered proof of her husbands’ infidelity with his secretary
(who dresses frivolously, like Linda). Photographs that she throws before shocked Christine and curious Linda are the evidence that the affair took place on
her own house, on her own couch. Tension develops between Barbara and Linda, as Linda's sexy dress and manners remind Barbara of Manuel's secretary who
apparently belongs to the same frivolous and shameless breed of females. After initial shock, Barbara comes to understand how foolish she was, being a
dutiful wife for seven years and wearing conservative clothes to please her husband, who convinced her that she has no need to wear sexy clothes, as he liked
her for her inner content. A long, old-fashioned Scottish skirt, that Manuel has given her as a gift and that she used to wear all the time now symbolizes
her foolishness in being compliant to her husband request and being blind at his affairs. Bitterness, rage, frustration are overflowing, as Barbara realizes
that her conservative dress style was a safety net for her husband to assure she doesn't look attractive to other men, while he was having fun outside of the
marriage. She is contemplating divorce, when the phone rings with a message from yet another Linda's admirer, as a reminder of Barbara's own failure. Finally
Barbara falls asleep exhausted, while Linda departing for her date, leaving bewildered and disappointed Christine alone.
Act II
Later same night, Christine and Barbara are baking cookies, ready to have their own party. This activity consoles Barbara, until she suddenly
remembers how much Manuel liked her cookies. This is causing another stream of revelations for Christine, who now finds out that Barbara's marriage has never
been as glorious as it seemed. Manuel has made an arrangement with her, establishing his rights to be unfaithful, the only condition is that she shouldn't
know about it. She is trying to convince Christine (and herself) that men are built differently, and if only the affair hasn't crossed her marriage
territory...
Christine disagrees, trying to cover feelings of loneliness and disappointment with an outrage; she argues that men have convinced women they are designed
differently in order to have control over women just like in the old times. Unexpectedly her moral image breaks down, and shows a different side of her, the
one who fantasizes about men and sex. In reality, however, she admits she spends her free time alone, with only enjoyment of taking hot baths with scented
oil. Both women try to cheer each other up, making jokes about men who periodically call and leave awkward messages on the answering machine. Or perhaps they
laugh at themselves...
Meanwhile Linda comes back after a big fight with her fiancee, furious with his attempt to control her and change her. She doesn't wish to jeopardize
her values in exchange for controlling marriage and, in desperation, announces breaking the engagement and leaving on the trip to Egypt with one of her
admirers. She suggests to Barbara to go with her to celebrate freedom from men's tyranny.
Barbara, in turn, makes a conscious decision to completely change her life and start from scratch; recapture her spirit, and become again that same
attractive, sexy woman she remembers herself being prior to her marriage. Barbara and Linda celebrate freedom, now feeling much closer and supportive of each
other. The floor party with champagne and baked cookies follows, when three women are enjoying each other and sharing sweet memories of childhood.
Unexpectedly the conversation turns to become more serious, about one's choice in life. Is family and children more important than freedom to do whatever one
desires? What is happiness? Barbara shares with sadness that she couldn't have children in her marriage, and Christine regrets about her decision to have
abortion years ago, she has made to pursue her career goals. In the midst of these disclosures, Linda makes her own: most likely she is pregnant. Christine
and Barbara are concerned about her and all three are drawn closer through sharing their dramas and supporting each other. The party is interrupted by a
phone call from Christine's ex-husband Stephan which makes Christine very happy, but which emphasizes loneliness Linda and Barbara feel for themselves. They
are falling asleep, exhausted from champagne and dramatic events of the day, when Christine is fantasizing about herself and Stephan getting back together.
Telephone rings with a message from yet another admirer.
Act III (two weeks later)
Barbara has completely changed her image and is going on a date, beginning a new life. She is excited to share with Linda prospects of her new romance, not
noticing that Linda is a bit depressed and lost. Barbara is trying to leave, but Linda stops her by announcing her pregnancy that is now confirmed. She is in
distress and needs support. Although Barbara does her best, trying to convince Linda that everything will be all right if she tells her ex-fiancee, baby’s
father, about the baby. When Barbara hears that Linda might not keep the baby she then decides to stay with Linda and to convince her not to do an abortion.
The date is forgotten. Barbara takes care of Linda and teaches her own life lessons, when Christine comes in very romantic, excited, and announces she is now
engaged ... with her ex-husband. Her friends take that humorously at first, trying to warn her against another the trap with anti-men campaign, expressing
their frustration with men. However, Christine is firm and convinced that a new happy life is possible for her this time. She decides to be naive, to believe
promises, to create a happy marriage, where her romance and love will successfully coexist with her career. She realizes she has always loved Stephan and
finds that it's possible to be in love and pay taxes together at the same time. She is very busy with herself, however when she learns about Linda's
pregnancy, the attention is switched to Linda, with both Christine and Barbara are comforting her and picture the future when all three of them will take
care of the baby. Men are forgotten for a moment; women's friendship and closeness takes precedence. In euphoria, three women decide they will be perfectly
happy without men and capable of taking care of each other, creating their own castle of love, tenderness, and kindness. Christine is last to agree with it,
but what will you not do for dear friends. Three women are bravely marching into the new life. But phone rings, and it is a man... Life goes on...
