There are thirty minutes to "curtain up" and backstage Robert is preparing for his first West End lead. When Sue, Desmond and Desmond's wife, Marjorie, come to wish him luck, confusion abounds. Desmond has worse stage fright than his client and somehow manages to lead everyone to believe he is to become a father at 54 - but who is the mother?

Sue's parents are in town and want to see Robert in one of his plays. As he is currently playing a transvestite in a sex farce, Robert thinks it would be inappropriate to bring them along and so suggests that Sue take them to see a more traditional play, The Importance of Being Earnest, sit them in the back row and pretend he is in it!