‘Smiling through pain,’ she yelled, ‘Smiling through your tears! Smiling through your fears! Smiling through your ears.’ And then something snapped. ‘Smiling through your teeth! Smiling through your knees,’ she cried, thrusting a leg out. ‘Smiling through your feet, elbow, your head and,’ she added, turning her back on them and bowing, ‘smiling through your bum!’

When twelve-year-old Josie describes what is expected from the pupils at the stultifying stage school she has been attending, after being asked about it by the down to earth director Joan Littlewood, the response is applause and laughter. Josie and the man who has been protecting her, have been discovered by her hiding on the roof of her theatre in the rain, and she wants to know everything about them.

It is during the first week at this particular stage school, that tomboy Josie is informed firmly by the headmistress that it will be impossible for to be given any acting work for a very long time. The reason being is that she looks like a boy, has a working-class accent and even has the wrong number of freckles. Fortunately, being at the right place at the right time she is offered a role in a play. Unfortunately, being at the wrong place at the wrong time she is hurled into danger and while on the run from two thugs, she is rescued by a Mr Beauvoisin, a French African gentleman, who is fleeing from a gang of teddy boys.

Having happily hidden in the theatre, spying on Joan Littlewood’s revolutionary rehearsals, Mr Beauvoisin realises that because Josie’s whereabouts are now known to the criminals, she is in even more danger. Events escalate dramatically. Meanwhile, Auntie Win (her ex-army aunt), Mr Beauvoisin, Scotland Yard and the River Police are keeping an eye on her.

And Josie? All she wants to do, is spend time doing what she loves most, stepping inside the skin of other human beings and looking at the world through their eyes. In other words, act.