Set in a Lakeland town, and ex-army colonel, who is the north-west contact in an organisation recruiting mercenaries for Africa, prepares to light one of the chain of bonfires for the Jubilee celebrations. In the town, and ex-Rhodesian is trying to open a high-class wine bar – the last failure in a long line. The two have common cause: money from the contact man can finance the wine-bar, which will become the rendez-vous point for departure. The plans for both are violently disturbed by the arrival of an ex-mercenary demanding his money due for his time in Africa.
Weaving in and out of the action are two women. Charity, a singer and the niece of the bar owner, suffers beneath a tough exterior, the anger of exposing her feelings for money. Sal, a punk girl, works in the bar and is willing to sell herself to the colonel for money to get away.
A play expressing cynicism, idealism, and fear of post-imperial Britain.