When unexpected disaster strikes Lord Westfield's Men during a packed performance, Nicholas Bracewell, the theater company's stage manager and all-around performer of miracles, must save the day once again. A melee caused by men in disguise is brought under control, but before the troupe can lament their destroyed set, Nick discovers a body in the stands with a knife sticking out of its back. They soon realize they are out one theater and one clown: Barnaby Gill, always hilarious on the stage and hopelessly curmudgeonly off, has broken his leg. With long months of repairs before them, Westfield's Men embark on a tour of the Kent countryside in order to salvage some of the downtime. They hire a stand-in for Gill, one Gideon Mussett, a gifted comedian and an even more gifted drunk. But it seems no clown is perfect, for while Gill has never been a barrel of laughs when not in front of an audience, Musset simply doesn't seem to know when to quit being funny.