With the great fug making London too smelly to stay in, Will and his friends have all come to Stratford. Will hopes for some peace and quiet so he can write but with Kate and Marlowe bickering, Hamnet obsessed with playing at soldiers, Dad busy with his new role as Master of the Watch with not-so-able assistance from Sergeant Dogberry, and Sue excited about the upcoming masked ball there is very little peace to be had.

But when Kate stands in for Sue at the masked ball she accidentally sets off a chain of events that leaves Sue humiliated by the other local teenagers, and Will needs to come up with a ruse to turn the tables on the bullies. Meanwhile in all the confusion Hamnet has gone missing. Anne has a pretty good idea where he might be, and sets off to get her boy back.

The day of Will's son Hamnet's confirmation is approaching and Anne has made sure it has been in Will's diary for months. The only problem is this also turns out to be the night of the first ever London Theatre Awards, and what with Will being the greatest writer of all time, and what with all the other theatre companies in London being closed all year because of the plague, Will reckons he may be in with a chance of a prize.

And there is another dilemma - if Will does go the London Theatre Awards who is going to be his plus one? He has heard that his favourite dark lady, Emilia Laier, may be free that evening. But as Will wrestles with the temptation of the London theatre there is a far bigger threat to his family's happiness lurking in the wings.