The Dresser

The film, set entirely within the backstage area (and briefly, the main stage) of a London Theater (building) during the London Blitz, opens on theatrical dresser Norman and Sir's (apparent) wife, "Her Ladyship", meeting in Sir's dressing room after a difficult visit with Sir in hospital. At Her Ladyship's frantic behest, Norman explains the events which led him to take Sir to hospital. Norman discovered Sir wandering the streets of London during an Airstrike; his erratic behavior, including trampling his hat and coat and making a public spectacle, induced Norman to take him to the hospital, despite Sir having a performance scheduled for that evening. Norman regrets this, while Her Ladyship, concerned for Sir's ability to perform, considers cancelling the evening's performance of ''King Lear'' on account of illness. Norman, who has been with aging Shakespearean actor Sir as his dresser for nearly thirty years, and has never seen his company cancel a performance, pleads with Her Ladyship and company stage manager Madge (Sarah Lancashire) to postpone the cancellation and allow him to visit Sir in the hospital. As he begs, Sir reappears in his dressing room, having "discharged himself" from medical care.