To engage her totally lackadaisical students and get them to explore and express their emotions, Vivienne uses pop hits of the time performed by a fresh young cast led by Davey. She hopes her more liberal approach to learning might stir them to discover they could be good at something, once they let their inhibitions go, and might actually have fun creating something; they might even absorb some of the dreaded Shakespeare after all.
Vivienne's aspirations appear thwarted by her troublesome students who, raging with hormones, get up to various antics that seem destined to sabotage the musical. She also faces opposition from traditionally-minded, old-fashioned teaching staff, making getting the show to opening night a constant challenge.
When a frustrated student sets fire to the school auditorium destroying the stage and the sets, the show is cancelled by the headmaster, who was to play Prospero. A side plot involves conflict between Vivienne's liberalism and the attitudes of her long-standing opponents on the staff, centering on discovering which "delinquent" student was responsible for the arson.
Deflated, but ultimately unwilling to chart this mishap or her role as "music teacher" as yet another thing she's failed at, Vivienne persuades the headmaster to allow the production to move to an outdoor setting. Her production is a triumph, much enjoyed by both the students and the audience.
The film ending features a photo-montage of what became of each student after leaving school. Vivienne had remained as music teacher, directing a school play every year until retirement.[5]
