Joe Harper (MICHAEL MALONEY) is a struggling actor, out of work for nearly a year, recently rejected both by his girlfriend and, as an actor, by Hollywood producer Nancy Crawford (JENNIFER SAUNDERS). Only his agent, Margaretta DíArcy (Joan Collins), still believes in him. Just. Which is more than Joe can say for himself.
Joe takes his last stand against outrageous fortune. He decides to direct a production of "Hamlet" over the forthcoming Christmas holidays. He will finance it with the last of his savings (and a loan from Margaretta) and will play the Danish prince himself.
His auditions summon from the woodwork a most eclectic mix of eccentric characters. Without much room to maneuver, he signs up a cast of six to play the twenty-four roles in Shakespeareís greatest play.
Henry Wakefield (RICHARD BRIERS) is decrepit, grumpy and bitterly cynical. He will play Claudius, the Ghost and the Player King.
Tom Newman (NICHOLAS FARREL) is intense, self-absorbed, committed and politically correct (most of the time). He will play Laertes, Fortinbras and messengers (various).
Carnforth Greville (GERARD HORAN) is affable, eccentric and usually inebriated. In a theatrical first, he will play both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as well as Horatio and Barnardo.
Vernon Spatch (MARK HADFIELD) is sharp, cocky, wants to be wanted and wants to be a director. He will make a video recording of the proceedings as well as playing Polonius, Marcellus and the First Gravedigger.
Terry du Bois (JOHN SESSIONS) is highly camp, a pantomime grande dame, a tart with a heart. For lack of female applicants, he will play his greatest queen yet, Gertrude.
Nina Raymond (JULIA SAWALHA) is scatty, spectacularly short-sighted, enthusiastic, generous and kind-hearted. She is to be Ophelia.
Having assembled his motley crew Joe transports them, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, to the village of Hope where "Hamlet" will be mounted in a church which is threatened by developers. By bringing theater to the community, Joe hopes to prove the churchís usefulness and to save more than his own unhappy soul.
Joeís sister Molly (HETTA CHARNLEY) is a nursery teacher in Hope. She will act as caterer, company manager and box-office. The last member of the team is Fadge (CELIA IMRIE), the production and costume designer - intense, other-worldly and hopelessly indecisive.
Everyone will eat, sleep and work in the church for the next three weeks. And so the challenge begins.
Can Joe knock his cast into shape, find an audience and hold off the developers, with Christmas Eve and the first performance less than two weeks away? Will his broken heart be mended? Will Terry du Bois find a soul-mate? Will Carnforth vanquish his ghosts? Will Henry smile? Will the myopic Nina cause a fatal accident before the curtain rises on what may well be Joeís final performance?
Or will the theater work its unique magic on the lives of all concerned.....?
Last modified 02-Feburary-1996.
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