A once-famous Shakespearean actor leads a struggling company on a tour of Britain during the Second World War. His assistant Norman is utterly devoted to the demanding and eccentric thespian, but as the actor's mental state swiftly deteriorates, it falls to Norman to ensure he can carry on performing. Drama, starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay.

In a touring Shakespearean theater group, a backstage hand - the dresser - is devoted to the brilliant but tyrannical head of the company. He struggles to support the deteriorating star as the company struggles to carry on during the London Blitz. The pathos of his backstage efforts rival the pathos in the story of Lear and the Fool that is being presented on-stage, as the situation comes to a crisis.