Engulfed in a world defined by the division of apartheid, a young man, addressed only as "the Playwright," prepares an arrogant and aging star for the evening's performance of Oedipus Rex. The Playwright struggles to find his voice, and the actor confronts his fear of no longer being admired, needed or wanted. As they debate, the pair find themselves at odds about why art matters and the extent of its impact on the world.