them, they decide to stay; and Joe introduces them to their costume and set designer, the enigmatic and new-age Fadge, who oddly proposes to have some of the audience as cardboard figurines and use only smoke for set design. Rehearsals begin with a shaky start. Carnforth cannot remember his lines and often turns up drunk, Tom insists on using different outrageous accents for each of his various roles, Henry having to share a room with Terry whom he despises, Nina causes accidents from her eyesight, and Joe having Molly perform as Hamlet during rehearsals so he can watch and direct the scenes. More difficulties arise when the landlord of the church demands an extra week of rent, which Joe doesn't have, and the show hasn't sold a single advance ticket. After the first week of rehearsals and four days before the tech run, Joe insists the actor's don't lose their nerve, and receives encouragement from Nina who Joe learns is a widow. Vernon comes to Joe's rescue by giving out flyers, selling the tickets on the streets of Hope and at a country hotel he is performing a cabaret at. Henry and Terry gradually learn to tolerate each other through their mutual respect of Henry Irving, as well as Terry revealing he has an estranged son, Tim, through a one-night stand, making his role as Gertrude difficult as Joe encourages the actors to be the characters. However one night, Tom breaks down from Carnforth's mistakes, ranting at Joe for being pressured to not do any variety for his multiple roles and then at Vernon for documenting the production. Joe himself also suffers a breakdown, admitting that the production was a mistake, that it has become too personal for them all, their time has run out and that he has no money to pay for them nor securing the venue for the run of the show. Calming down, Henry and Molly reassure him to continue. With Joe now acting during the rehearsals, the actors find the production has improved significantly, with Vernon revealing to Joe that the company has had a whip-round to improve the financial situation. After the technical rehearsal, Joe receives a call from Margaretta, who tells him that he has rather unexpectedly been offered a three-picture movie deal from American producer Nancy Crawford, but has to cut off when she tells him about travel arrangements. On Christmas Eve