Bumptious attends a theatrical performance which meets with his disapproval. When the curtain falls on the first act Bumptious leaves the theater in disgust, much to the discomfort of those seated in the same row. Bumptious now decides to organize a dramatic club. He selects “Romeo and Juliet” with which to display his talent as an actor. When all is in readiness he books a night at the Town Hall to give the performance. His friends turn out in masses to see him act; but acting is not such an easy matter as it appears to be, and Bumptious finds this out very quickly when everything seems to go wrong. The climax of a number of mishaps is reached in the famous balcony scene while he is making ardent love to the fair Juliet; the entire castle collapses and falls upon him, to the delight and edification of the boys in the gallery. In the meantime Bumptious is having trouble back of the curtain upbraiding the stage hands for their negligence, almost getting into a row over it. Looking through the peep-hole in the curtain he makes the discovery that the theater is empty. This brings him to his senses and he hurries home, where he destroys his playbook and demolishes the bust of Shakespeare, vowing never to act again.