In a war-torn provincial theatre an ageing actor-manager, known simply as Sir, is struggling to keep a grip on his sanity and complete his two hundred and twenty-seventh performance of King Lear. Helping him along the way is his hard-working and tetchy dresser, Norman, who has spent the last 16 years going above and beyond the call of duty and ensuring that the show will go on.

Julian Glover plays the part of Sir, while Nicholas Lyndhurst appears in the very un-Rodney-like role of Norman.