Brenda decides to invite her newly wed friends Cynthia and Geoffrey round for dinner but her grumpy chain smoking husband Colin isn't too pleased. Colin decides to upset the proceedings by inviting his friend Keith, an immature half-wit from next door.

As the play evolves there is an obvious emotional strain between the characters. Just as Brenda thinks things can't get any worse the television set goes on the blink, putting the viewing of Cynthia and Geoffrey's wedding video in jeopardy. Enter Vince, a rather drole TV repairman whose incompetence results in an explosion from the faulty appliance. As each guest leaves under a literal cloud of smoke, Brenda is left contemplating her failed existence. She turns on the radio just in time to learn that her lottery numbers have come up, she passes out on the settee and her winning ticket descends to the floor. Colin enters looking for his cigarette papers and notices Brenda. Thinking she's asleep and desperate to obtain his nicotine fix he decides to use her ticket to roll his tobacco up in. As the curtain falls the audience is left wondering whether Brenda's latent fortune will also go up in smoke.