John Sawyer, once an eminent barrister, has slid into a life of cynicism and drunkenness since his wife left him. When his daughter's boyfriend is accused of murder, Sawyer decides to try to pull himself together and defend him in court.

Ken's Loach's first production for The Wednesday Play is a story of a group of criminals planning a robbery, with the unwitting aid of a wealthy, well-connected society acquaintance. But who is the greater villain?