Britain 1936. A teenage variety troupe is hauled around the country by their harsh and demanding 'maestro’ Mr Piggott (known as 'the Pig’). The youngest of the troupe, the much put upon and stammering Ollie, secretly trains to be an acrobat to escape the Pig’s clutches. The troupe descends on bustling, industrial Liverpool, where the Youngstars are about to give their biggest performance yet. And Ollie is in for the shock of his life ...