WHEN the two-man cast play began at exactly 4pm at the National Theatre, no one in the packed theatre could have predicted the emotional rollercoaster they were about to ride.

Love on the Ropes, a riveting stage production by celebrated playwright Ebo Whyte, began as a comedic take on marriage, social media, and love in the digital age but ended as a raw, dramatic unraveling of secrets, betrayal and the reality that not all love stories are meant to last.

The story centres on Aisha Hammond Hamis, a flamboyant lifestyle influencer, and her husband Donatus Hammond Hammers aka The Don, a former boxer turned politician she jokingly calls ‘Microsoft’ for being soft. 

On their 18th wedding anniversary, The Don’s publicly declares his love for his wife, a reminder of his enduring affection despite their rocky past. 

The Don reveals that for 18 years, he’s visited his father-in-law’s house every morning with a megaphone to remind him that the daughter he once said he had “nothing good to offer her” is still loved. He even bought a house nearby to rub it in for his father-in-law.

Together, they recount the obstacles they faced: a father-in-law with fists of fury, an uncle who accepted a box of cigars for dowry, and a relationship that survived against the odds.

As a wedding anniversary gift, The Don offers her a blank cheque, but Aisha chooses a solo trip to Israel “to walk where Jesus walked.” Her return gift to her husband? She offers sex but must be done in their backyard and a live stream to talk about their love story. The Don refuses.

Soon, the cracks in their union widen. When Don hints at a boxing comeback, Aisha panics, calling him “no Mike Tyson” and declaring she’s not ready to be a young widow. But when he mentions a $20 million payout win or lose, she flips and urges him to take on the challenge.

They stage a livestream in their garden to present their relationship as picture-perfect. But midway, The Don confesses he’s participating “under duress but Aisha quickly tries to salvage their image.

The tipping point comes with the mention of their late daughter, Fofie. Aisha urges The Don to confront his pain; he refuses, leading to a tense altercation. As he walks off during the livestream, Aisha breaks down dramatically, crying and using humorous viral phrases like “Awurade fa me hyɛ wamotuam sɛ deodorant.”

She later pretends the entire drama was staged, though it’s clearly not. Refusing to speak to The Don unless he confesses his darkest moment and streams it live, she declines a lunch invitation. The Don relents but insists it stay private. Aisha refuses again. That’s when The Don confronts her with knowledge of her affair with her ex, JD.

Aisha admits the affair but deflects, claiming it was to protect The Don during his political struggles. He shows her evidence. She claims it’s AI-generated before finally confessing. Then, in a cruel twist, she tells him JD is the love of her life and The Don is merely a sidepiece.

But things go from bad to worse when Aisha discovers JD is a scammer. He replaces her jewellery with fakes and blackmails her with intimate content. She goes to confront him with The Don’s gun( unknown to her is a toy gun) to find Jayden in a pool of blood. 

For some reason, she believes she killed him and rushes home distraught, only to learn later Jd is alive and The Don, anticipating her every move, set up surveillance and security.

Finally, The Don reveals he’s known of the affair for the past four years. She blames spiritual forces; he blames her choices. He files for divorce, gives her a settlement, and walks away singing Rlc Hassani's Thunder Fire You, and then dances out of her life to Wendy Shay’s It’s Too Late.