The Whittakers are a family who seem to depend on tension and trauma. Colonel Whittaker is a former philanderer who now takes any and every opportunity to annoy his repressed and uptight wife, while their daughters, Marion and Hilda, are both highly strung and prone to meddling. Into this explosive mix enters John, their only son who has returned from the continent. However, the family is shocked to find that he has also returned with a wife, an older, glamorous divorcee with a scandalous past.

The Platt family's weekend in their grand country home turns chaotic as secrets unravel and relationships strain. Jack, the philandering husband, and his wife, Annie, struggle with their fractured marriage. Their daughter, Sally, faces romantic turmoil, while Annie's sister, Ruth, arrives with her own complications. As the weekend progresses, hidden agendas and unexpected visitors add to the mayhem.