Ferdinand Faure, our hero, comes up from Aix-en-Provence to join the Cartoucherie Theatre company along with his pals : Jean-Claude, a brash, self-assured Parisian, and Max, a teacher of American literature, Provencal to the bone, and in love with his flighty wife, Bernadette. At the Cartoucherie, director Ariane is surrounded by a motley crew including one Clémence, who walks the high wire while juggling with clubs.