The Show Must Go On

A small English theater company is planning a school tour of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. The financial resources are scarce and so the four actors have to devote themselves to the adaptation with a lot of imagination. James, the leader of the troupe, doesn't have it easy with his comrades-in-arms, who believe that the days of conservative roles are over. In the theater any restrictions of gender, skin color and social background should be thrown overboard; at least on stage one must be able to disregard traditional stereotypes. And so it is that Millie insists on playing Phileas Fogg because she's tired of playing women who need saving. This triggers a chain reaction within the group and ultimately the conservative James has to submit to the unorthodox interpretation of the classic. They immediately go into action to develop the script together.

The adventurous journey - in storms on the high seas, in snake charms, on the back of elephants, in many trains, in the circus and also in a hot air balloon - is represented by means of full physical exertion and creative ideas - until Fogg finally arrives back in England and at the last minute wins his bet.