CHARACTERS   
4 couples: 4 women - 4 men

Ursula : Brisk housewife. Energetic. Looks tough. Simple minded. Heart of gold.
Gus : Ursula's corpulent husband. Slow, clumsy man. Plump. Prefers to be lazy, rather than tired. Looks unkempt. Speaks slowly.
Minnie : The youngest. Frightened, clumsy and insecure.
Philip : Minnie's husband. Teacher. About 30 years old. Dark hair, moustache. Wise guy.
Marjan : Housewife. Good, optimistic character.
Thomas : 40-year old pessimist. Marjan's husband. Grumpy, suspicious and dour.
Madame Blanche : Fortune-teller. Black wig. Gypsy clothes. 
Gerard : Skinny man. Madam Blanche's husband.

SYNOPSIS

Prologue

Three wives consult a fortune-teller on how the weather will be on their vacation. As they start complaining about their husbands, Madam Blanche calls in a (fake) ghost, who comes up with advice: Ursula, married to a lazy man, should go on strike; Minnie, married to a know-it-all, should act helpless and always agree; Marjan, saddled with a pessimist can either divorce or be a sex-bomb.

1° Act

On vacation at the site-camp, Thomas, Marjan's husband, turns out to be a grumpy pessimist indeed. But Marjan endures his moods, for now. Ursula however, is fed up with Gus's extreme idleness and decides to go on strike. There won't be any diner, unless Gus prepares it. Philip, an overacting teacher, succeeds in getting on Minnie's nerves, until she hits him on the head with a frying-pan. After a cool truce, she decides to try out the ghost's advice and act the clumsy housewife. Marjan holds on, until Thomas's words wound her deeply. Throwing the contents of the piss-pot over his head, she asks for a divorce.

2° act (the same day)

When Gus returns from fishing, Ursula refuses to cook the catch. Gus sulks, but Ursula sticks to her point until Gus, reluctantly, starts preparing the barbecue and finally awkwardly filleting and baking. Meanwhile Minnie finds out agreeing with Philip is not that easy. When she burned the meatballs, Philip's brawling enervates her and again it comes to a violent quarrel. Then Marjan comes up with a suggestion: before speaking, have a sip of water. Minnie's new, submissive and clumsy behavior amazes Philip and he turns into a helpful husband. Marjan regrets having asked for a divorce, but stubborn Thomas doesn't want to hear about reconciliation. He becomes more sarcastic and mordant. Marjan tries to keep the moral, but in vain. Then with Minnie's help, she learns how to seduce her husband. And it seems to work!

3° act (a week later)

A cheerful Gus prepares the barbecue. He likes cooking. Philip has been trying for days to teach Minnie how to cook spuds, but he isn't a cooking-expert. Thomas looks like he has been reborn. He enjoys Marjan's sexual turn and most willingly gives in to all wishes, though she tires him out. Ursula comes back from fishing, with six trout. She invites the other couples for a barbecue. The men are ordered to set the table and do the cooking. Then it slowly becomes clear the men have been henpecked! But the men only realize it on their way to empty the piss-pots and then decide to visit Madam Blanche.

Epilogue

Gerard however, pitying the men, prevents Madam Blanche from fortune-telling. He takes the lead and directs the men to a solution. They'll all become ideal husbands. Gus will go on cooking, but further on act the clumsy guy. Philip will explore Minnie's self-assurance, treating her like a lover. Thomas, with kindness, wit and a good mood, will make his going on strike acceptable.

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