How Not to Fund a Honeymoon – Studio @ theSpaceTriplex

In only 45 minutes, How Not to Fund a Honeymoon delivers on just about everything you could want or expect from the crime-comedy caper genre.

Like a Quentin Tarantino or Guy Ritchie movie, the plot unfolds non-linearly. Action skips back and forth between the aftermath of and the buildup to a failed heist, orchestrated by fiancés Gwen (Ausette Anderies) and Charlie (Claire Feuille). Their plan is to break into the house of Gwen’s wealthy aunt – Aunt Robyn (played by Stephanie Greenwood, who also wrote the play) – and steal her valuables in order to pay for their honeymoon to the Maldives. The plan does not work out well for Gwen and Charlie.

Most of the comedy stems from the fact that Gwen and Charlie are a perfectly normal couple, who find themselves in abnormal circumstances. They are first introduced discussing the seating plan for their upcoming wedding, while also trying to pick a lock by torchlight. Throughout the play, normal, relatable chitchat and bickering is juxtaposed with unusual and dangerous situations to great comic effect. Greenwood’s script is funny, but thanks to the non-linear structure, the looming threat of upcoming violence hangs over the entire narrative. The play effectively strikes a precarious balance between humour and bleakness.

Colette Hamilton’s skilful direction ensures that even the dialogue heavy scenes – including a scene in which two out of three characters are tied to chairs – are dynamic and full of movement. Likewise, the performers give confident, energetic, deliberately exaggerated performances. The result is a fast-paced excitement that almost never stops. One small issue is that, as the character are often speaking over each other, occasionally it could be difficult to make out dialogue that was integral to following the plot or understanding the characters. However, the plot and characters are both easy to grasp, so this was not a major problem.

There were some scenes that dragged or felt repetitive, and not every joke landed. Other moments conversely felt rushed, and some plot and character moments felt under-developed, such as the two bumbling policemen, or Charlie’s insistence on honeymooning in the Maldives specifically. Had the runtime been closer to the 50-60 minutes that is standard at the Fringe, there may have been opportunities to further flesh out the characters, and foreshadow certain plot points.

How Not to Fund a Honeymoon has now finished it’s run at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, but under the co-production of Very Rascals Theatre Company and Tony-nominated producer Claire Feuille, perhaps this play will be developed further and have a life beyond the Fringe. If so, it is definitely worth looking out for.

Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe

Reviewed: 16th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: