A Punch in the Nose

In the twilight of the traveling road show era, a struggling troupe performing 'Uncle Tom’s Cabin' finds themselves physically and financially stranded in a remote country town. Their survival instinct kicks in when they discover a local sanitarium is hiring an array of specialists, ranging from hydrotherapy experts to culinary masters. Despite having zero medical qualifications, the actors leverage their theatrical background to fake their way into the staff. They are, quite ironically, better at performing the role of specialists than they are at being actors, yet their incompetence in actual healthcare is staggering. The narrative shifts from a workplace farce into a high-stakes chase when the sanitarium’s authoritarian manager, a literal bruiser, uncovers the deception. The resolution hinges on a classic silent-era trope: the discovery that the mistreated 'slavey' of the house is the rightful heir to the estate, allowing the ragtag troupe to overthrow the villain and find a permanent stage.